Proposed questions on sexual orientation and gender identity for the Census Bureau’s biggest survey

By MIKE SCHNEIDER
Associated Press

The U.S. Census Bureau plans to test questions about sexual orientation and gender identity for its most comprehensive survey of American life. The test questions will be sent to 480,000 households. If the questions are approved, it will be the first time sexual orientation and gender identity questions are asked on the American Community Survey. People can respond to the questions online, by mail, over the phone or through in-person interviews. Given privacy concerns, the agency is proposing using flash cards for in-person interviews and using numbered response categories for people who don’t want others in their household to know their responses.