England and Wales census reveals trans and non-binary population for first time

For the first time in its 220-year history, transgender and non-binary people have been counted in the census of England and Wales.

The Office For National Statistics released the data from the 2021 census earlier today (January 6, 2023).

According to the results, 262,000 people aged 16 or over answered “no” to the question: “Is the gender you identify with the same as your sex registered at birth? ”

Within that, 48,000 people identified as a trans man, with the same number identifying as trans women. 30,000 people identified as non-binary.

45.4million (or 93.5 per cent of people who responded) replied “yes” to the same question, while the remaining 2.9 million did not provide an answer.

According to the Office For National Statistics, “The question on gender identity was new for Census 2021. It was added to provide the first official data on the size of the transgender population in England and Wales,” with the data helping to provide better quality information for monitoring purposes, support anti-discrimination duties under the Equality Act 2010 as well as aid allocation for resources and policy development.

The census also looked at sexuality for the first time, with 1.5 million people (or 3.2 per cent of responders) identifying as gay or lesbian, bisexual or another sexual orientation.

By contrast, 43.4 million people (89.4 per cent ) identified as straight or heterosexual, while a further 3.6 million people did not respond.

“For the past two centuries of data gathering through our national census, LGBTQ+ people have been invisible, with the stories of our communities, our diversity, and our lives missing from the national record,” said Nancy Kelley, the chief executive of LGBT rights charity Stonewall (via The Guardian).

We're making history

The number of lesbian, gay, bi & trans people in England & Wales has been counted in the #Census2021 for the first time, after two decades of campaigning!

For two centuries, we've been excluded – now we’re officially part of a proud #RainbowBritain

— Stonewall (@stonewalluk) January 6, 2023

The results of the census, “finally paint an accurate picture of the diverse ‘Rainbow Britain’ that we now live in, where more and more of us are proud to be who we are,” she added.

In 2020, Taylor Swift spoke out about the US census, saying it erases transgender and non-binary people due to its limited gender options.

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