As you like it: a sexy census

Last updated 22:48 15/07/2008

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Government statisticians are grappling with a sensitive issue - quizzing people about their sexual preferences.

Statistics New Zealand has published a report discussing sexual orientation as a potential topic for official statistics, part of a wider review on statistics about cultural identity going out to public consultation this year.

Conal Smith, Statistics NZ's manager for social conditions, said sexual orientation was a topic repeatedly suggested for inclusion in the five-yearly census.

"It's recurring and we get it from enough people, and sensible people ..." he said.

"An object of the paper is basically to say that we've heard you, that we agree that this is something that needs consideration and to be taken seriously."

But technical and social issues had to be addressed.

"There are some bits of New Zealand society that are not going to react well to that question."

Sexual orientation would not be included in the next census, in 2011.

Statistics NZ was considering whether there was another way of getting the information, he said.

The discussion paper says there is concern that "public resistance" to the question could cause some people not to respond to the census.

Research had found Pacific and Asian peoples, older people and those living in rural areas were among those who were "less accepting" of being asked about their sexual orientation.

The government gathers statistics on civil unions between same-sex couples but the paper notes this gives only a limited picture.

There are three main concepts in measuring sexual orientation.

"Behaviour" describes whether someone's partners are of the same or opposite sex; "identity" - their view of themselves as heterosexual, homosexual or bisexual; and "attraction", which sex or sexes they are attracted to.

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8 comments

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Lunch #8 05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

NZ's infrastructure needs serious investment, society is becoming more violent and the govt is more concerned with finding out who is gay or not?

Adam #7 05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

What does this question have to do with sex education, or further development of New Zealand?

We are already given education in school about safe sex so no it's nothing to do with education.

Does no one remember Nazi Germany? where the census was asking religion? that is how Hitler got a lot of the Jewish population because this inforation got into the wrong hands, and was used against the very reason such information is gathered.

This is nothing to do with the future of the nation as gay people require no special Infrastructure. This is nothing more than a govt who has now set its eyes on further control of the population.

Has anyone heard of a totalitarian government?

Time for a change New Zealand?.....it's election year!

ashhurst #6 05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

Your intolerant ''delph0r'' It is the persons security.It could easily get in the wrong hands since it is local people that check the forms before they are sent off.

Why would religion matter, not everyone is religious but everyone has a sexuality!

delph0r #5 05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

It's a census, this information won't get into the 'wrong hands'. Seriously, what a stupid suggestion.

If sexuality doesn't matter, does religion? Surely a sexuality statistic will be useful somewhere. If you can't see that then you're just intolerant.

monkeyman #4 05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

What's the problem with asking that question? No one i know would have a problem with telling someone they are straight or gay. You are what you are. I think it would be interesting to see how many people identify themselves as gay in New Zealand. That information could be useful to all sorts of organisations such as health organisations targeting safe sex practises, and marketing companies wanting to target the niche gay market.

ashhurst #3 05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

Does it really matter what our sexuality is, does it really define us as a person. I am more worried about this sort of information getting in the wrong hands as not everyone is accepting, look at the home detention and prison documents that where found on the streets in Auckland. isn't this really just another way of the government & police building profiles on us when it comes to past & future wrong doings. Maybe we'll all be 100% accepting come the census after 2011...

Annalise #2 05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

Great point Dolly! Although I think that its probably in the same bucket as asking for someones religion and they have been asking that one for years!

Dolly #1 05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

Why is this a question that needs to be asked? Does the government need to know the populace's sexual orientation in order to supply appropriate services? Or is it just curiosity? I don't mind answering census questions if they have value in the future provision of services to the community.

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