The U.S. Census Bureau, under the Trump administration, has requested permission to eliminate questions about gender identity from a monthly survey that collects real-time data on American life. The agency recently sought approval from the Office of Management and Budget to remove these questions from the Household Trends and Outlook Pulse Survey. This move is in line with President Donald Trump's directive to withhold federal funding from programs supporting 'gender ideology.'
President Trump's order, issued at the beginning of his second term, defines sex strictly as male or female, contradicting the stance of mainstream medical organizations like the American Medical Association. These groups argue that sex and gender should be viewed as a spectrum rather than a binary classification.
Trump has issued several executive orders targeting transgender and nonbinary individuals since taking office. Some civil rights groups have challenged these orders in court, with a federal judge in Seattle recently blocking a significant portion of Trump's plan to cut federal funding for institutions offering gender-affirming care to transgender youth.
While the Census Bureau had intended to include questions about sexual and gender identity in the 2027 American Community Survey, it remains unclear whether these questions will be removed following the recent request. The agency had begun testing questions on sexual orientation and gender identity last August through trial questionnaires distributed to hundreds of thousands of households.
Additionally, the Census Bureau has canceled the upcoming spring meeting of an advisory committee tasked with providing guidance for the 2030 census, which will impact political representation and federal funding for the next decade. No explanation was provided for the cancellation, with the Bureau redirecting inquiries to the Department of Commerce.
As the situation continues to evolve, the Census Bureau has promised to share updates as more information becomes available.
