The 2010 Census will be the first census to publicly release the number of both same-sex spouses and same-sex unmarried partners. In the past, these two groups were combined and reported as same-sex “unmarried partners.”
This information will come from the relationship question, which asks the person filling out the form to identify how all other individuals in the household are related to him or her. Census 2010 will not include questions about sexual orientation or gender identity. Data are based on how individuals self-identify and how couples think of themselves. This includes same-sex couples who live in a state in which their relationship is not recognized. Same-sex couples who are married, or consider themselves to be spouses, can identify one other adult as a “husband or wife.” Other same-sex couples may instead decide to use the term “unmarried partner.”
For guidance on how to complete the form, LGBT persons can refer to the document Census 2010 LGBT Basics, created by Gary Gates of the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law.