This poster provides a historical time-line of the methods used by the Bureau to collect, process, and release data for same-sex married couples between 1995 and 2020. It contains history about the ACS, CPS, SIPP, AHS, and Decennial, as well as legislative, legal, and cultural references during the same period.

It was presented at PAA 2020, in Washington, DC April 22 - 25, 2020

Bates, N., DeMaio, T. J., Robins, C. & Hicks, W. (2012). “Classifying Relationship and Marital Status among Same-Sex Couples”. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/library/working-papers/2012/adrm/rsm2012-01.html

Chesnut, J. (2008). “Effects of Using a Grid versus a Sequential Form on the ACS Basic Demographic Data”. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/working-papers/2008/acs/2008_Chesnut_01.pdf

DeMaio, T. J. & Bates, N. (2012). “New Relationship and Marital Status Questions: A Reflection of Changes to the Social and Legal Recognition of Same-Sex Couples in the U.S.”. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/working-papers/2012/adrm/rsm2012-02.pdf

DeMaio, T. J., Bates, N. & O’Connell, M. (2013). “Exploring Measurement Error Issues in Reporting of Same-Sex Couples”. Public Opinion Quarterly, 77(S1), 145-158. Retrieved from https://academic.oup.com/poq/article/77/S1/145/1877806

Fields, J. M. & Clark, C. L. (1999). “Unbinding the Ties: Edit Effects of Marital Status on Same Gender Couples”. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/library/working-papers/1999/demo/POP-twps0034.html

Kreider, R. M. & Lofquist, D. A. (2015). “Matching Survey Data with Administrative Records to Evaluate Reports of Same-Sex Married Couple Households”. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/library/working-papers/2015/demo/SEHSD-WP2014-36.html

Kreider, R. M., Bates, N. & Mayol-Garcia, Y. (2017, April). “Improving Measurement of Same-Sex Couple Households in Census Bureau Surveys: Results from Recent Tests”. Paper presented at the Population Association of America Annual Meeting, Chicago, Il. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/working-papers/2017/demo/SEHSD-WP2017-28.pdf

O’Connell, M. & Feliz, S. (2011). “Same-Sex Couple Household Statistics from the 2010 Census”. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/library/working-papers/2011/demo/SEHSD-WP2011-26.html

O’Connell, M. & Gooding, G. (2006, March). “The Utilization of First Names to Evaluate Reports of Gender and the Effects of this Process on the Distribution of Married and Unmarried Couples”. Paper presented at the Population Association of America Annual Meeting, Los Angeles, Ca. Retrieved from https://paa2006.princeton.edu/papers/60208

O’Connel, M. & Lofquist, D. A. (2009). “Counting Same-Sex Couples: Official Estimates and Unofficial Guesses”. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/library/working-papers/2009/demo/oconnell-01.html

O’Connell, M., Lofquist, D., Simmons, T. & Lugaila, T (2010, April). “New Estimates of Same-Sex Couple Households from the American Community Survey”. Paper presented at the Population Association of America Annual Meeting, Dallas, Tx. Retrieved from  https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/working-papers/2010/demo/ss-new-estimates.pdf

Development of the Revised Relationship to Householder Question:

Interagency Working Group on Measuring Relationships in Federal Household Surveys. (2014, September). “Improved Measurement of Household Relationships in Federal Surveys – Paper 1. Measuring Same-Sex Co-Residential Relationships”. Retrieved from https://s3.amazonaws.com/sitesusa/wp-content/uploads/sites/242/2014/04/MRFHS_StatisticalPolicyWorkingPaper201408.pdf  

• Focus Groups:

Bates, N., DeMaio, T. J., Robins, C. & Hicks, W. (2012). “Classifying Relationship and Marital Status among Same-Sex Couples”. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/library/working-papers/2012/adrm/rsm2012-01.html

• Cognitive Tests:

DeMaio, T. J. & Bates, N. (2012). “New Relationship and Marital Status Questions: A Reflection of Changes to the Social and Legal Recognition of Same-Sex Couples in the U.S.”. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/working-papers/2012/adrm/rsm2012-02.pdf

Decennial Test Reports:

• 2014 Census Test:

Nichols, E., Olmsted-Hawala, E. & Keegan, R. (2015). Usability Testing of the 2014 Census Test Online English Instrument (Survey Methodology No. 2015-04). Retrieved from U.S. Census Bureau website:
https://www.census.gov/library/working-papers/2015/adrm/ssm2015-04.html

2015 National Content Test:

Seem, E. & Coombs, J. (2017). “2020 Research and Testing: 2015 National Content Test Relationship Question Experiment Analysis Report”. Retrieved from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial/2020/program-management/final-analysis-reports/2015nct-relationship-question-experiment.pdf

• 2016 Census Test:

  Kreider, R. M., Bates, N. & Mayol-Garcia, Y. (2017, April). “Improving Measurement of Same-Sex Couple Households in Census Bureau Surveys: Results from Recent Tests”. Paper presented at the Population Association of America Annual Meeting, Chicago, Il. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/working-papers/2017/demo/SEHSD-WP2017-28.pdf

ACS Test Reports:

• 2006 Content Test Results:

U.S. Census Bureau. (2007). “New and Modified Content on the 2008 ACS Questionnaire: Results of Testing Prior to Implementation”. Retrieved from U.S. Census Bureau website: https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/working-papers/2007/acs/2007_CensusBureau_01.pdf

• 2013 ACS Questionnaire Design Test

Lewis, J. M. (2014). Testing Alternative Relationship and Marital Status Questions on the 2013 American Community Survey – Questionnaire Design Test (American Community Survey Research and Evaluation Program No. ACS14-RER-16). Retrieved from U.S. Census Bureau website:  https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/working-papers/2014/acs/2014_Lewis_01.pdf

• 2016 ACS Content Test

Kreider, R. (2017). 2016 American Community Survey Content Test Evaluation Report: Relationship (American Community Survey Research and Evaluation Program No. ACS17-RER-06). Retrieved from U.S. Census Bureau website: https://www.census.gov/library/working-papers/2017/acs/2017_Kreider_01.html

SIPP Test Reports:

• 2013 SIPP Event History Calendar field test:

Lofquist, D. A. & Lewis, J. M. (2015). Improving Measurement of Same-sex Couples (SEHSD Working Paper No. 2015-13). Retrieved from U.S. Census Bureau website: https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/working-papers/2015/demo/SEHSD-WP2015-13.pdf

AHS Test Reports:

• 2013 AHS split panel test:

Lewis, J. M., Bates, N. & Streeter, M. (2015). Measuring Same-Sex Couples: The What and Who of Misreporting on Relationship and Sex (SEHSD Working Paper No. 2015-12). Retrieved from U.S. Census Bureau website:  https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/working-papers/2015/demo/SEHSD-WP2015-12.pdf

Lofquist, D. A. & Lewis, J. M. (2015). Improving Measurement of Same-sex Couples (SEHSD Working Paper No. 2015-13). Retrieved from U.S. Census Bureau website: https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/working-papers/2015/demo/SEHSD-WP2015-13.pdf

Estimates of Same-Sex Married Couples:

• Unofficial estimates of same-sex couples from the 2000 Decennial Census:

O’Connel, M. & Lofquist, D. A. (2009). “Counting Same-Sex Couples: Official Estimates and Unofficial Guesses”. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/library/working-papers/2009/demo/oconnell-01.html

• Preferred estimates of same-sex couples from the 2010 Decennial Census:

O’Connell, M. & Feliz, S. (2011). Same-Sex Couple Household Statistics from the 2010 Census (Working Paper No. SEHSD-WP2011-26). Retrieved from U.S. Census Bureau website:  https://www.census.gov/library/working-papers/2011/demo/SEHSD-WP2011-26.html

• Estimates of same-sex couples from the American Community Survey:

U.S. Census Bureau. (2018). Characteristics of Same-Sex Couple Households: 2005 to Present. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/same-sex-couples/ssc-house-characteristics.html