Today, the U.S. government has released their monthly jobs report of historical significance. This monthly report will be the first time which the Bureau of Labor Statistics will include same-sex couples in its count of workers within the U.S. economy, allow for greater LGBTQ+ representation in government statistics.
This is not the only significant change occurring in government data, but this will be the first year that the census will include “same-sex husband/wife/spouse” and “same-sex unmarried partner” on its questionnaire. According to Meghan Maury, the policy director of the National LGBTQ Task Force, these numerical counts of LBGTQ+ people are important because this data can allow this community to build political power and have access to more services.
By knowing the number of LGBTQ+ people there are in the workforce is necessary because these individuals are more likely to experience poverty. However, this data does not separate heterosexual couples and same sex couples’ employment rates and other statistics, making it difficult to understand the economic experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals.
In the future, Maury hopes for there to be a collection of sexual orientation and gender identity in all surveys to fully understand the experiences of LGBTQ+ people.
Source: CNN 2/6/20; Market Watch 10/23/19
