Expanding LGBTQI+ Inclusive Data Collection Will Advance Equity

Census and Data Equity News 06.23,22

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Rachel Hooper, [email protected]

WASHINGTON – Meeta Anand, senior director of the census and data equity program at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, released the following statement after the House passed H.R. 4176, the LGBTQI+ Data Inclusion Act:

“LGBTQI+ communities deserve to be reflected in federal data collection so that their experiences and needs can be addressed in government policies, programs, and funding investments. Expanding LGBTQI+ inclusive data collection will advance equity by capturing a more comprehensive, accurate, and data-driven understanding of the experiences of LGBTQI+ communities and ensuring that funding and services are distributed equitably. As we close out Pride Month, we urge the Senate to take up this bill addressing this important issue.”

Background:

The LGBTQI+ Data Inclusion Act will require collection of volunteered information about sexual orientation and gender identity in federal surveys. Gathering demographic data inclusive of sexual orientation and gender identity is critical to obtain an accurate and comprehensive understanding not only of LGBTQI+ people and their experiences across key areas of life, such as health, housing, employment, economic security, and public benefits use, but of all our vulnerable communities.

On April 25, 2022, The Leadership Conference Education Fund released “Information Nation: The Need for Improved Federal Civil Rights Data Collection.” The new report urges the Biden administration to restore and expand the scope, frequency, and public accessibility of federal data collections, in order to identify equity gaps and solutions to remedy them.

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 230 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.

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