Does anybody find the question on the Census form asking you to specify whether your child is biological or adopted to be incredibly intrusive? for Questionland Seattle

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Does anybody find the question on the Census form asking you to specify whether your child is biological or adopted to be incredibly intrusive?

Ignoring the ethical issue, it's a fact that some parents don't tell their children that they're adopted so how should those parents answer the question?

When using a sperm donor, a married couple does not have to complete an adoption for the husband to be considered the child's parent so in that case neither adopted nor biological applies. How are they supposed to answer the question? And why should the Census Bureau have the right to know that bit of personal information? (Similar situation in California for gay dads using a gestational surrogate or for a lesbian couple using a sperm donor. No adoption is required to have the non-biological person considered a parent to the child.)

What about women who use an egg donor but carry the pregnancy themselves? They aren't the biological parent and the child is not adopted.

I think it's great the government wants to provide funding to adoption agencies but there's got to be a better or less intrusive way to obtain information about adoption.

IGUB asked in Whatever over 2 years ago | Report

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Nope. Calm down.

Census data is, by law, private. By definition, it is not intrusive. Unless you believe the Census Bureau is evil and corrupt, but if you believe that, then the whole thing is intrusive, not just that one question.

elenchos answered in Whatever over 2 years ago | Report

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Have to disagree with you. It is intrusive to ask if I am the bio-dad or if my partner is the bio-dad. Nobody needs to know that info outside my family.

IGUB commented over 2 years ago | Report

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It's pretty clear you are only able to think about this question from your own personal point of view. Once again, if you stubbornly ignore all the social benefits of the census, and only look at what the questionnaire means to you and you alone, then the whole thing is intrusive.

elenchos commented over 2 years ago | Report

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Kristin Bell

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No offense to people who are easily offended by the census, but people are generally too paranoid about filling out the census. They are trying to get statistical information to understand what the make-up of the US is. They aren't trying to offend people. Of course statistical data will inevitably leave people out and not account for everyone. Just think of the Male/Female question. What if some people don't identify as one or the other? Also, I really don't think Big Brother is trying to peek into our houses to gather secret info. I'm not saying you are saying that, but some people feel like that. I sincerely feel sorry for the people trying to get people to fill out the census, because everyone is so touchy about the whole thing. I would think that from the point of view of a statistician, all they need is for people to fill in the blanks, and they don't really want to peer into your house or microanalyze your situation. People just freak out about the "implications" of all of the questions way too much. No wonder it is so difficult to conduct research.

Kristin Bell answered in Whatever over 2 years ago | Report

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census data has occasionally been used for ill. However, I think the greater good performed by filling in these kinds of questions outweighs any risk of future bigotry ala the patriot act.

Rev.Enant answered in Whatever over 2 years ago | Report

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Well, first off: "Ignoring the ethical issue, it's a fact that some parents don't tell their children that they're adopted so how should those parents answer the question?"

Parents don't have to answer this question in front of their child. lf they are visited by a census employee and do it in person, it's easy enough to do it in person outside or in an area of the house where the child isn't present. lf it's a form that you mail in, there's no obligation to show that information to a child, or to fill it out when/where they can see it.

l actually agree with Elenchos here, mainly because l think it would be good information that can help us. As Kristen says, obviously some situations fall through the cracks, but l don't think you should find it intrusive. Depending on what it's being used for, it's probably pretty important information to provide, and you'd be doing a service. Either way, l'm not sure how else they would obtain that information without flat out asking.

freikja answered in Whatever over 2 years ago | Report

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IGUB, I agree that this question is intrusive and vague as to the many ways that people bring children into the world. I respect the ideals of the census and all, but remember that it took 20+ years for the census to allow me to check two boxes in the race section. It may take a while for them to catch up to new reproductive situations - in the meantime, I think you can answer whichever way you like, or not answer at all.

Luckier answered in Whatever over 2 years ago | Report

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No, it doesn't bother me a bit.
If the parents don't know how to report an adopted kid to the Govt, it doesn't bother me. They're trying to get the structure of our society, and this is one way to ask the question to learn how accepting or how much we practice adoption. Plus, this has been an area of stumbling blocks for years.
What if the "Parents" are the grandparents raising a crack baby while the biological parents are in prison?

It doesn't make any difference whether the kid knows or not... the census data is confidential, which means it will not be disclosed... except to a follow up trouble shooter who MAY come around to ask f you understood the question or why an odd response was filed.

But that's it. Period.

"Cagey" answered in Whatever over 2 years ago | Report

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But the children I'm referring to are not adopted. They are legally the children of the parent without the need for an adoption. So, they're not adopted and they're not biological.

IGUB commented over 2 years ago | Report

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Oh, I'd say list them. Doesn't make any dfference what you catagorize them as. They live there. Report it.

"Cagey" commented over 2 years ago | Report

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I listed them but left the question about biological v. adoption blank and decided not to answer the question even if they come to my door. We don't discuss which one of us is the bio dad so I'll just claim we don't know.

IGUB commented over 2 years ago | Report

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