U.S. Sen. JD Vance has again tried to erase the existence of transgender Americans.
Last week, Vance partnered with fellow Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida on a letter to the U.S. Census Bureau that objects to adding questions on gender identity to the American Community Survey (ACS).
The Census Bureau conducts the ACS annually in 3.5 million households to provide data on demographic changes in U.S. communities. Lawmakers, organizations and local businesses use the information to allocate resources and track changes.
In September, the Census Bureau requested $10 million from the Biden administration to add questions on sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) for people 15 and older.
In their letter, Vance and Rubio accused the Census of trying “to politicize the survey by including highly polarizing and patently false topics, like gender identity,” which they refer to as a “harmful ideology.”
“Biology determines gender, not subjective belief, and the bureau should not jeopardize the legitimacy of crucial statistical information by endorsing unscientific and untrue concepts like gender identity,” the letter said.
Vance and Rubio went on to question the science of gender identity and encouraged the Census Bureau instead to ask respondents whether they “suffer from gender dysphoria.” They said that this would help measure what they call a “dramatic and troubling rise” in trans identity that they describe as running contrary to “objective reality.”
The importance of data
In its 2023 budget report, Census Bureau researchers said they needed to improve and expand ACS data on sexual orientation and gender identity “to meet critical, emerging needs for high-quality measures” of the LGBTQ+ community.
A 2023 report from the Center on Children and Families at Brookings concluded that the ACS only captures between 12-26% of the total [LGBTQ+] population, with the largest gaps being among younger age groups. The study further estimates that the ACS fails to count up to 4.5 million LGBTQ+ young adults.
“Omitting or asking incomplete SOGI questions leaves a data gap that can result in a lack of understanding within research and policy circles, with potentially adverse effects on the increasingly significant LGBTQ+ community,” researchers wrote in the report.
In Ohio, data collection for Greater Cleveland LGBTQ+ Community Needs Assessment is currently underway. Program Director Andrew Snyder highlighted that prioritizing the collection of LGBTQ+ demographics goes beyond mere data points.
“Diversifying demographic data collection beyond traditional heteronormative and cis-gender norms not only fosters inclusivity but also paves the way for better-tailored and more equitable support across the diverse spectrum of sexual orientations and gender identities,” Snyder wrote to The Buckeye Flame in a statement.
Continuing anti-LGBTQ+ trend for Vance
The letter is the latest in a long list of anti-LGBTQ+ actions that Vance has taken.
In August, Vance proposed the “Passport Sanity Act,” legislation that would forbid individuals from using an “X” gender marker on their passports, passport cards or consular reports of birth abroad. The bill would further require that application documents for these forms of identification only include female and male genders.
“The last thing the State Department should be doing is wasting its time and your tax dollars pushing far-left gender ideology,” Vance said in a statement.
In July, Vance introduced a bill banning individuals under 18 from accessing gender-affirming care.
Dubbed the “Protect Children’s Innocence Act,” the bill would make providing such care to minors a federal Class C felony, punishable with a prison sentence of 10 to 25 years.
Like other far-right Republicans, Vance has previously used the term “groomers” to attack people who speak out against censoring discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in schools. “The result of this widespread hateful rhetoric has been a spike in harassment, threats and violence targeting the LGBTQ+ community,” according to the ADL’s Center on Extremism.
Equality Ohio gave Vance an “F” on their Equality Scorecard based on his voting records and campaign statements regarding LGBTQ+ issues, civil rights and racial justice. 🔥
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