Should Gender Be Included In The Census?

[naomi24]

//The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has undertaken research as to whether the 2021 census should ask questions about people’s gender identity as well as their biological sex.
This follows protests that asking about people’s gender is discriminatory.

If the proposals go ahead, the change would leave the Government without accurate data on the number of men and women officially living in the country.

An online self-completion survey found that 0.8 per cent of approximately 10,000 respondents had transgender identities and that around half of this population – or 40 individuals – had undergone gender reassignment surgery.//

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/census-gender-transgender-non-binary-concerns-women-written-out-of-existence-germaine-greer-a7988991.html

I’ve never considered myself to be a feminist particularly, but I’m with them on this one. It seems the sensibilities of a very few are taking precedence over common sense. What say you?

[Togo]

Just someone at the ONS playing Gender politics. Gender preference has become the newest and shiniest, and therefore the most heavily defended, pillbox on the Liberal's Maginot Line.
We are all to aspire to being classified as a "Protected Characteristic Minority", and so entitled to an army of well paid "helpers" and advisors. Meehh.

[SPARKPLUGZ]

I totally agree with woofgang about the usefulness of the gender/sex demographic on a census form. 60 years ago,when the majority of married women did not work, gender demography would have been useful to project future workforce for example. I think the next census should not include gender, either biological nor perceived.

[Togo]

Lol @ Ron. Would we have to paint a face on em? :))

[pixie374]

How about maternity pay, childcare and part-time work, sparkplugz? And the pay gap...

[whiskeryron]

Sounds good to me Togs

[SPARKPLUGZ]

Pixie all those things are valid but how can the ONS project expenditure on these things by gender? Men pay for childcare and work part time as well as women and one sex couples can share maternity leave. If the census shows X amount of male Y amount of female and Z amount of 'other' how is the data used to project future trends?

[woofgang]

Point one because its important when doing any kind of survey to ask "have we already got this information?" "what use will make of it?" and "do we need to ask it at all?" Every question needs to be printed and the results collated, processed and stored which costs money.
Point two is one of the principles of data protection which is basically "We will ask you what we need to know for specific reasons" I just think that the census looks like "We will ask you what we think might be useful at some unspecified point for some unspecified reason AND ITS ILLEGAL NOT TO ANSWER OT TO FALSIFY".

[pixie374]

That's how they work out trends, sparkplugz, by seeing how things change over time. How can they know that without asking people?

[woofgang]

But in working out those childcare/flexible working/parental leave issues, gender is becoming increasingly irrelevant.....also they know who claims parental leave because it has tax implications.