A Major Victory: Australian Census to Include Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation Questions

Great news for the LGBT+ community in Australia! The upcoming census will be more inclusive than ever before, thanks to a major announcement from Treasurer Jim Chalmers. For the first time, the national survey will include questions on both gender identity and sexual orientation.

This is a big win for trans and gender diverse Australians, who will now be properly counted. Additionally, the survey will capture information about our sexual orientations, marking a significant step forward in ensuring that everyone is seen and recognised.

This achievement is the result of relentless advocacy and hard work by thousands of individuals. Over 25,000 people signed a petition calling for these changes, making it one of the largest petitions in Equality Australia’s history. This outpouring of support highlights just how important it is for our communities to be accurately represented.

The journey to this point involved many voices and efforts. Countless people expressed their frustrations, collaborated on open letters, and reached out to MPs. Equality Australia also played a crucial role by organising press conferences, rallying support from 70 organisations, and securing extensive media coverage. They engaged with government officials and parliamentarians to push for this important change.

This success builds on the legal complaint filed with rainbow parent April Long after the 2021 Census, which ensured LGBTIQ+ perspectives were considered in crafting the new questions.

However, it's worth noting that intersex individuals will not be included in the census at this stage. The ABS decided against including questions about intersex variations due to unsatisfactory test results. Despite this setback, Equality Australia will remain committed to improving data collection for intersex individuals and working towards full inclusion in the future.

The new regulations on sexual orientation and gender identity still need to pass through the Senate, and we’ll keep you updated on this process in the coming weeks.