News release from Latino Equality Alliance:
Latino LGBT and civil rights organizations hold community forum
for “hard to count” community to discuss importance of being included
in the 2010 Census.
Los Angeles, CA – The Latino Equality Alliance (LEA) – an alliance
of LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) community based groups -
MALDEF and the Census Bureau held a community forum last Saturday,
February 27 with numerous families in Highland Park, a largely Latino
neighborhood in Los Angeles, to discuss why and how the LGBT community
should be counted in the 2010 Census. The first of its kind, the forum
was to educate same-sex Latino couples on how to fill out the Census
form to make sure that LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender)
couples participate and are counted.
“The LGBT community is denied a number of federal civil rights
associated with military service, social security, immigration, health
and marriage benefits. A Census of LGBT couples is a good first step
in highlighting the needs of our community,” stated Eddie Martinez,
LEA co-chair and associate director of the Wall/Las Memorias.
An accurate Census count of the LGBT Latino community in the U.S.
will help secure funding for crucial health programs and needed
services for the community. Recent studies indicate that Latino LGBT
communities experience a large disparity in health outcomes compared
to the general population. Census demographic data helps educate
legislators and the public about the specific needs of the Latino and
LGBT community and prioritize funding accordingly.
Reflective of a policy change by the Obama Administration, the
2010 Census is the first national effort to acknowledge same-sex
couples, providing insight into the size and racial diversity of the
LGBT community.
“Same-sex couples filling out the Census can indicate their
relationship to their married spouse by indicating ‘husband’ or
‘wife.’ Other same sex couples can select the ‘unmarried partner’
option to reflect their household status,” explained Matthew E.
Weinstein, LGBT community partnership specialist for the Census
Bureau.
“We appreciate the Census Bureau is recognizing the LGBT community
to be as diverse as the general public and that each community comes
with its own needs,” said Ari Gutierrez, LEA co-chair and vice
president of HONOR Political Action Committee. “The Census does not
ask transgender status or sexual orientation questions but Transgender
individuals can select the gender with which they identify.
Importantly, the Census is completely confidential and will benefit
our community in the long-run,” she added.
Forum speakers include, Lauren Pérez-Rangel, Western Regional
Census Director for MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and
Education Fund) who stated, “MALDEF is deeply vested in making sure we
achieve a full count of all Latinos and that includes Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) members of our community. We are
working with the Latino Equality Alliance to reassure the Latino
community that the census is confidential and extremely important. At
MALDEF, we strive for all Latinos to have fair and equal treatment in
society, and achieving an accurate count of the Latino LGBT community
will assist us in advocating for improved policies and practices for
the community.”
As part of a larger civil rights effort, the Latino Equality
Alliance’s forum provided an opportunity for members of the Latino
LGBT community to actively engage in changing incorrect perceptions
and to increase support by the mainstream Latino community. The Latino
Equality Alliance is funded through a grant by the Liberty Hill
Foundation.
LGBT community service organizations including BIENESTAR Human
Service’s 11 southern California locations, have been designated
Census Resource Centers where the public can access additional
information about how to fill-out the Census form.
For information about the LGBT Census and resource locations visit
www.ourfamiliescount.org or call
1-877-352-3676. Photographs of the February 27 event in Highland Park,
CA also are available upon request.