Original data published by the 2010 Census reported that the number of same-sex households in the U.S. was 901,997, including 349,377 same-sex “married couple households,” and 552,620 same-sex unmarried partner households.
On Tuesday, however, the Census Bureau admitted that those numbers were significantly revised downward after staff discovered inconsistency in file statistics “that artificially inflated the number of same-sex couples.”
The number initially reported was about 40% higher than what the Census Bureau believes to be accurate.
The Census Bureau now estimates that there are 131,729 same-sex “married couple households,” and 514,735 same-sex unmarried partner households in the U.S. for a total of 646,464 same-sex households. The Census Bureau had, therefore, misrepresented the number of same-sex couples by 255,533 or 39.5%.
Why might this miscalculation and misreporting be important?
First off, the figure is an estimate. No doubt, same-sex “marriage” advocates will suggest that many such couples refuse to report their status and that the actual numbers are much higher. They will not only want to demonstrate that the numbers are higher, but that they are on the rise. Since, however, the number is an estimate, it’s just as conceivable (especially given the error) that the numbers are even lower. While I give the Census Bureau credit for its attempt at accuracy, the estimate, their mistake, and the highly politicized nature of the debate really put the data into question.
Numbers are important, particularly when it comes to politics and public policy.
Considering the battle over same-sex “marriage” going on in many states across the country, the president’s overwhelming support for the homosexual agenda, and the pop culture’s embrace, celebration, and promotion of homosexuality, inflated numbers make same-sex coupling seem far more common than it really is.
If, as the Census Bureau reports, there are 116,716,292 total households in the U.S., that means that same-sex households make up .55 percent of the total. That’s far, far less than what’s more commonly reported by the media, and drastically less than what’s depicted on television and film.
The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) in its Network Responsibility Index ranked television networks for their coverage of homosexual issues. Of the 10 ranked cable networks in their most recent report, ABC Family was labeled the most pro-homosexual, with 55 percent of its programming hours featuring inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender issues. Showtime, TNT, HBO, AMC and others featured homosexual issues between 29 and 37% of their programming hours. So a demographic that accounts for .55 percent of the total U.S. households garners 29 to 55 percent of television station’s programming hours? The Media Research Center has done much research in this regard and reported on it.
According to an April Gallup Poll, U.S. adults overestimate that more Americans are homosexual than are Catholic. They estimate that 25% of Americans are homosexual.
The poll cites entertainment as a likely factor. “This [poll] suggests Americans have had even more exposure to gays and lesbians, be it in their personal lives or through entertainment or other means.”
The Economist took a look at the Gallup numbers and said that Americans couldn’t possibly be experiencing “1 out of every 5 people I know is gay.” They come to the conclusion that the primary cause of the inaccurate estimate is due to entertainment influences.
“In terms of how people constitute their mental pictures of society, these things drive the impression that gays are a normal and substantial portion of the population,” said The Economist blog.
Not surprisingly, those states that have legalized same-sex “marriage” report the highest number of both “married” and unmarried same-sex couples – Washington, D.C., Vermont, Massachusetts, and California.
Thankfully the U.S. Bishops and the National Organization for Marriage are supporting many efforts around the country to promote and strengthen authentic marriage as the commitment between one man and one woman. But will the Catechism of the Catholic Church be able to overcome the catechism of the culture?
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I am SO disappointed. Thousands of gay marriages and STILL no sign of bestiality and polygamy that the Christians said would follow gay marriage. Then Christians said gay marriage would destroy traditional marriage, but it turns out Massachussets has the lowest divorce rate in the nation! Why do Christians lie????
Dont worry Wayne, my dog (and I) will still have our day!
Sorry, Wayne, but while no one is coming out to admit bestiality (who really would), polygamy and its acceptance is on the rise. Have you ever heard of “Sister Wives”, “Big Love” or “19th Wife”? Again, Hollywood is driving the agendas and opinions of most Americans. If it is between consenting adults…..we aren’t supposed to care but we do.
ABC is so obviously trying to make gay* the new cool. Every show has a gay character. There are transgender high school kids on the teen shows. I let myself turn on the Emmy Awards for 1 minute and there is Modern Family winning everything. Catholics are not old fashion. We are counter-cultural. Think for yourself and stop letting Desperate Housewives set the bar of what family life looks like.
*hate the sin, love the sinner.:)
“Are laws really being written and changed for .55 percent of the overall population?”
I would hope so! considering that there are over 307 million people in the US. .55 percent of the population is roughly 1.7 million people. Are we really willing to disenfranchise millions so readily without thought just because someone’s personal religious beliefs conflict?
Greling - what about the 21% (65 million) of Americans who are Catholic? We are being disenfranchised by the legal system, the media, entertainment, the school system. What about the fact that we are told we’re bigots if we don’t agree with the .55% of the population? I guess that’s ok, right?
Yes it is OK - you are not being “disenfranchised” in any way.
Specifically, how does the fact that there are same sex couples (Fact) disenfranchise you?
There is a nearly even split on SSM now according polls - and in fact the generation under-30 is overwelmingly supportive of marriage equality - so your math of .55% is not based in reality.Also the number of SS couples is NOT the same as the nimber of gay people - different things. There are far fewer cohabiting couples then there are individuals in the population at any one time.
Catholics are being worse than “disenfranchised”, they are being placed in peril. Homosexual action is mortal sin. It is bad enough when mortal sin is committed in private. But when an entire nation legally enshrines mortal sin (homosexual action, abortion), then that nation, that society is attempting to mock God. When a nation acts in such a way, the results both direct, and indirect, are not good.
What is the specific peril?
Is it localized to the states with SSM? If so, provide an example of a peril in MA since they’ve had SSM the longest?
Why would a all-powerful god punish innocents that have nothing to do with the attempted mocking? Provide recent examples so we can be sure they really happened.
I have several friends who are in committed gay relationships, many lasting longer than my Catholic friend’s 2 marriages combined. I know a great number of Catholics who are gay, some practicing, some unfortunately pushed out of the Church. Two of my most memorable, spiritual and holy Mass experiences have been Celebrated by a gay Priest. The Church of which I belong is missing out on some wonderful, life-giving individuals. I continue to pray for the Catholic Church.
Those with same-sex orientation, where perfect Chasity is practiced, is not a sin. Homosexual acts are [just like adultery and fornication between heterosexuals]a sin. If a same-sex couple is living in Chasity and as brothers or sisters would, then that is pleasing to God. Once the line is crossed and same-sex sexual activity occurs, sin is there. Sin is not good for either those with same-sex or opposite-sex orientations. God forbids this and all are called to be humble before God and practice Chasity based on their station on life.
The Church has a program to help those with same-sex attraction:
http://couragerc.net/
......your “sin” is very selective. Apparently, it does not apply to hetero’s, nor divorced/remarried people (like NY’s Rev.Diaz). Furthermore, my church believes that gays were created that way by God and engaging in sexual espression is no more sinful than any other person’s experience. The resolution is simple; Feel free to bar same sex couples and practsing homosexuals from your church doors. However, do NOT attempt to bar them from the Courthouse doors!
The fact that we are even classifying households according to their sexual attractions and behaviors should strike as us bizarre and tells us that there is an agenda behind this. There is obviously no reason for us to know or count how many homosexual households there are unless you have aims such as wanting to equate such households as equivalent to normal heterosexual ones or promote the idea that higher numbers equals legitimacy.
For some posters above who question where the impact of homo marriage is, there are now court cases challenging the laws against polygamy; there is a strong push to legalize pedophilia(most notably by homosexual activists) and the american pyschiatric association is considering dropping this from the list of recognized disorders. And there is also a push to lower or abolish age of consent laws. And don’t be foolish enough to think these things couldn’t happen.
And if you don’t think marriage is being destroyed because of people having the idea that it has nothing to do with procreation and does not even have to involve a man and woman, have you taken a look around you? A 54% divorce rate and climbing is what I would call destructive. And how about the impact on children who are raised by homo couples? This is a form of child abuse and the data we have so far shows that they turn out to have many problems.
Or how about churches being threatened with closure, losing tax exempt status, or being fined. There are many current examples of legislation, which have so far been defeated, aiming to do these things, because of objection to performing homo “marriages”. Actual closure of some entities has already occurred, such as catholic charities/adoption agencies closing their doors for refusing to allow homo couples to adopt children. There is a similar occurrence with hospitals which have refused to perform sex change operations, for example. Just to name a few things…
To Tim Drake:
If it is such a small group, why do you worry about it so much?
Oh, overcount them. Then report their estimated income. Then President Obama can solve the debt crisis by raising their taxes. I mean, why should all that excess wealth go to corrupt politicians? Surely higher taxes are justified just to pay for the condoms, drug rehabs, AIDS cocktails and syphillis medications.
To Chris:
Such a small group, less than 0.2% of the total US population, is bringing back polygamy, is going to cause the legalization of pedophilia, and is raising the divorce rate? How does such a small group accomplish all of this? How are they affecting my marriage, or the marriages of my friends? I have a fair number of gay friends; none of them seem interested in a wife at all, let alone more than one wife, and all of them are disgusted by pedophilia. Are you saying that a small group of a small group (mabye 0.2% of 0.2%?) has so much power over pedophilia laws? I don’t understand. Could you explain this to me?
“Are we really willing to disenfranchise millions so readily without thought just because someone’s personal religious beliefs conflict?”
Sorry pal but note:
A predominately Catholic and Democratic country turned Facist under the tyrany of Adolph Hitler in 3 yrs time!!!! As you know that ment imprisionment and shooting, hanging, incinerating, starving, and working to death anyone labeled a Jew or Catholic Priest or Bishop and anyone else who spoke against Hitler and his ideas. What these pagans who promote homosexuality are doing so far is just the beginning.
Have you noticed that for decades the US Government has been ignoring The Constitution. Invading countries all over the world for trumped up excuses. It is getting worse and worse. This week the news says a 14 yr old boy has been kicked out of school in Texas for saying Homosexuality was wrong. Freedom of speech? Canada has a law making it a crime to say Homosexuality is wrong. Free country? Lybia, run by a dictator for 40 yrs, survivors of his torture chambers say you never said anything out loud against Gadafi or you would disappear. A neighbor or a store keeper might report you. Or your child might repeat something you said at school. It’s not Will it happen here, it’s how soon.
Great article, Tim. Thank you!
@wayne - Excuse me? Are you not aware that the pedophiles’ organization is already publicly stating that because gay marriage is passing, they should start agitating for “minor attracted” relationships to become legal? And are you not aware that polygamists are already challenging the illegality of bigamy, based on the same logic? Which is EXACTLY what we predicted would come right along… You are under-informed on this matter.
Since to Obama administration, why is there so much concern over gays getting “married?” and other oddities? This controversy is obviously a ploy do destroy morals and the breakdown of tradional family-Along with cuasing a witchhunt on God fearing people (and when I mean fear, I mean respecting God’s wishes).
All poeple that bow down to the secular life are very mentally disturbed—For all they seem to surround their lives with is sex, infidelity, transgender and other selfish acts of perversion.
It is such a shame that people such as Catholics are always being insulted and told that we are wrong by bigoted librals. The killing of babies and euthanasia is looked upon as acceptable…Next, it will be that killing a sick spouse or an uncontrolable child will be acceptable. Raping your own child will be acceptable, too, I guess—for it’s the parent’s child and they can do whaever they want with it, right? How about 3 people getting married? The list of sickening things that were once taboo may just be the norm in 20 years!
Kill the babies, rape the children, molest the farm animals, hang the elderly, it’s Ok, right? All long as these things “feel good” and you can now dispose of people that get in your way to live “your life”.
What a cold, cruel, senseless, disturbing and vile way to want to live. Better watch what you wish for, for these things could also happen to YOU!
If you think about it—The librals of today are more or less our Century’s Nazis—They are out to “clense” our country with filth.
They are out to destroy the true structure of family.
They want to kill babies when the are either unwanted, know they will be born with a defect, just want one child so request to kill the others in the womb and if they are not the sex they wanted.
They are out to destroy the difference between genders. People like Chaz Bono parades around it’s sickening alteration of it’s body on TV and in magazines. This untalented obomination that spawned from SOnny & Cher is making a mockery out of itself and gender. You also have a woman out there that lets their son wear dresses in public and pimps him on TV to promore her dirranged “children’s book”.
They are out to kill the elderly and the disabled by favoring euthanasia.
Talk about a Hilter-based society—trying to create a “perfect” race of society yet wanting to engage in selfish and sex-drivened acts and lifestyles.
Hmmmm….I think I like the idea of belonging to the Catholic Church instead. We try to live by morals, try to encourage and live by the tradion of family, we try to teach our children what is acceptable and not, we try to defend and respect life, We try not to frown upon the elderly or the disabled, we try not to be selfish and to look out for the best interest of people….
...Just think about it…..
“Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, Oct 1, 2011 11:22 AM (EDT):@wayne - Excuse me? Are you not aware that the pedophiles’ organization is already publicly stating that because gay marriage is passing, they should start agitating for “minor attracted” relationships to become legal? And are you not aware that polygamists are already challenging the illegality of bigamy, based on the same logic? Which is EXACTLY what we predicted would come right along… You are under-informed on this matter.”
—my reply—your post is absolutely CORRECT! All sickos now will be coming out of the woodwork like “Child-sex attraction” people wanting special rights and priviledges…..
America is supposed to be the land of the free, not the land of the FREAKS!!!!!
It is absurd to believe that all unmarried hosuehold partners are homosexual! I have been a partner with my son a 28 year old adult.. for several years before he married and moved on. We partnered in life.. to improve our economic and family life. There seems to be no distiction in the statistics. On another matter I have in the past partnered with another 30 year long friend for a few years for the economice benefits as we were both divorced and committed to Out Lord to remain chaste until we found another. This same thing that had NOTHING to do with sex AT ALL! would, I fear, be counted as some sort of favorable increase in the statistics for the gay and lesbeian movement. For this reaseon I also beleive that the numbers the Census bureau are DRASTICALLY OVER ESTIMATED. I know many women that have done the same thing…NOTHING TO DO WITH SEX… yet I am sure the Census would have created the “increase” in implied homosexual occurances. OOHHHH and Wayne if someone wants to have sex with an animal…someone’s wife or husband… or for that matter their own husband or wife…I DO NOT WANT PARADES THAT HAVE PARTICIPANTS THAT PERFORM THE ACTS OF FORPLAY IN PUBLIC….NOR DO I WISH FOR ANY LEGISLATION FOR SAME. That has been and continues to be between those ingaged in the acts and their Creator!
Cindy, being in a committed sexual relationship where one is committed to engage in demeaning sexual acts that do not respect the inherent dignity of the human person, is not what most people are referring to when they speak of a relationship that serves for the good of the other person and thus for the good of the relationship.
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