Making Sure Our Families Get Counted in 2010

The new year is a great time for change and movement, and this year let's be certain that our families, i.e., LGBT families, get counted.

According to the 2000 US Census, more than 250,000 children in the United States are being raised by lesbian and gay parents, and they live in almost every county in the country.

Every 10 years, under the Constitution, the US Census Bureau attempts to conduct an accurate count of all Americans and households, and this includes us - lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans and our families, both those with and without kids.

Census statistics guide many vital government decisions. Federal and state governments use census numbers to form congressional district boundaries and to distribute billions of dollars for social services. Nonprofit organizations use census statistics to plan services for individuals and their families, and these statistics can influence the location of schools, roads, and hospitals.

Census data is essential in countering anti-gay lies, myths and misperceptions about the diverse LGBT community, e.g., the census data shows that black and Latino same-sex couples are raising children at nearly the rates of their heterosexual peers, while earning significantly lower incomes.

It's easy to participate, it's safe, and it's important. To find out more, go to Our Families Count, a voluntary collaborative educational campaign whose only purpose is to educate and motivate all LGBT Americans and households to be visible in 2010, and to take part in the 2010 US Census.

(You can download a PDF of their information flyer here. It's also available in Spanish.)

Stand up and be counted!