Australian Bureau Of Statistics Admits 2021 Census’ Non-Binary Sex Option Was A Failure 

The Australian Bureau Of Statistics has said that it will evaluate how information on sex was collected for the 2021 Census and make recommendations to the government before the 2026 Census. 

This follows an admission that its analysis of data revealed that the addition of the non-binary option for the sex question in the 2021 Census had failed to yield any meaningful data. 

National LGBTQI advocacy group Equality Australia said that the analysis released by the ABS “proves that changes are needed in order for LGBTIQ+ people to be properly counted in the Census.”

Equality Australia welcomed the ABS’ statement that it will make fresh recommendations to the government before the 2026 Census. “The census should count all of us properly – this is a huge first step in ensuring that LGBTIQ+ people are afforded that opportunity,” Equality Australia posted on social media. 

Scott Morrison Government Said No To Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity Question

The ABS has guidelines about how to ask questions for collecting information about sex, gender, variations of sex characteristics and sexual orientation. The Standard recommends four separate questions – sex recorded at birth, gender, variations of sex characteristics and sexual orientation. 

Despite calls from LGBTQI advocacy groups to include questions on sexual orientation and gender identity, the then Scott Morrison government determined that these questions would not be included in the 2021 Census. 

“The topics in the Census are determined by Government and the Parliament. The Government determined the 2021 Census should collect data on sex but not information on gender, variations of sex characteristics or sexual orientation,” ABS said.

Instead, along with male and female options, the 2021 Census included a new non-binary sex option.

Previous Censuses Not Inclusive Of Many Australians

While around 0.17% of the Australian population chose the non-binary sex option, the ABS analysis determined that it did not yield any “meaningful data”, as people did not consistently understand the meaning of the term.

“The analysis of textual responses indicates that, in the absence of separate questions relating to gender identity, sexual orientation and variations of sex characteristics, many respondents chose to use the non-binary sex category to record responses for these characteristics,” ABS said. 

According to the ABS, “while the addition of ‘non-binary sex’ to the 2021 Census question did not capture meaningful data, it does provide a strong indication that the male and female options on the 2016 and previous censuses are not inclusive of many Australians.”

The ABS has aid that it will evaluate the 2021 Census and undertake community consultations, before making recommendations to the government in mid 2024 about new topics to be added in the 2026 Census.

Sign the campaign asking the Anthony Albanese government to count LGBTQI people in the 2026 census.