Fridae

Advocates in the United States have filed a lawsuit seeking the release of sexual orientation and gender identity data collected by the Census Bureau. They argue that public access to statistics is essential for fair funding, research, and civil rights enforcement.

The plaintiffs say that withholding the data harms communities by hiding the scale of need. They point to gaps in housing, healthcare, and employment protections that require accurate numbers to fix.

Government agencies have increased data collection on LGBTQ+ people in recent years, but much of the information is still not easily available. Researchers support releasing anonymised datasets with privacy safeguards.

Opponents say the data could be misused or that samples may be too small in some regions. Experts counter that standard privacy techniques can protect individuals while allowing meaningful analysis.

The case could set an important precedent for how governments share demographic information and how policymakers measure progress on equality.