Comments on: Making Sense of the Census http://www.mombian.com/2010/03/16/making-sense-of-the-census/ Sustenance for Lesbian Moms Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:39:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: We’re here, we’re queer, etc. at Lesbian Dad http://www.mombian.com/2010/03/16/making-sense-of-the-census/comment-page-1/#comment-98179 We’re here, we’re queer, etc. at Lesbian Dad Wed, 24 Mar 2010 05:17:46 +0000 http://www.mombian.com/?p=6950#comment-98179 [...] Dana at Mombian, talking about the census in general, Our Families Count’s public education campaign, and how many of us non-bio parents of kids [...] [...] Dana at Mombian, talking about the census in general, Our Families Count’s public education campaign, and how many of us non-bio parents of kids [...]

]]> By: Diane http://www.mombian.com/2010/03/16/making-sense-of-the-census/comment-page-1/#comment-96525 Diane Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:06:59 +0000 http://www.mombian.com/?p=6950#comment-96525 Dana, thank you for the reply, the reference to last year's post (which I somehow missed) and your post today. I appreciate the follow up and the broader questions you ask (than the relatively narrower one I posted). Dana, thank you for the reply, the reference to last year’s post (which I somehow missed) and your post today. I appreciate the follow up and the broader questions you ask (than the relatively narrower one I posted).

]]> By: Dana http://www.mombian.com/2010/03/16/making-sense-of-the-census/comment-page-1/#comment-96517 Dana Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:53:30 +0000 http://www.mombian.com/?p=6950#comment-96517 Good question, Diane. I'd argue that it is important to show the number of adopted children in order to help gauge the number of children likely to be adopted. With respect to same-sex couples, I think it is important to show how many of us have adopted children--and why laws that prevent us from doing so are harmful to the many children who need permanent homes. This does bring up the whole issue of what box a non-biological mother should check. We had <a href="http://www.mombian.com/2009/03/10/more-problems-with-us-census-and-same-sex-families/" rel="nofollow">a discussion on that very issue</a> about a year ago here, so I'll refer you to that. (Read the comments, too, which provide some additional insight.) Good question, Diane. I’d argue that it is important to show the number of adopted children in order to help gauge the number of children likely to be adopted. With respect to same-sex couples, I think it is important to show how many of us have adopted children–and why laws that prevent us from doing so are harmful to the many children who need permanent homes.

This does bring up the whole issue of what box a non-biological mother should check. We had a discussion on that very issue about a year ago here, so I’ll refer you to that. (Read the comments, too, which provide some additional insight.)

]]> By: Diane http://www.mombian.com/2010/03/16/making-sense-of-the-census/comment-page-1/#comment-96514 Diane Wed, 17 Mar 2010 02:41:57 +0000 http://www.mombian.com/?p=6950#comment-96514 Am I the only one who find the relationship options for our kids mildly vexing? The form offers "adopted child" and "biological child" as separate options, rather than, say, for example, "legal child." Why the distinction? Legally adopted children have the same legal standing as biological children, of course. Is there some group with an interest in counting adopted children? And what sense will they make out of families like ours in which the child is "adopted" only in the sense that s/he's not biologically related to one of his/her moms? Am I the only one who find the relationship options for our kids mildly vexing? The form offers “adopted child” and “biological child” as separate options, rather than, say, for example, “legal child.” Why the distinction? Legally adopted children have the same legal standing as biological children, of course. Is there some group with an interest in counting adopted children? And what sense will they make out of families like ours in which the child is “adopted” only in the sense that s/he’s not biologically related to one of his/her moms?

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