Hi
I have been reticent about commenting here very often. Always hopeful of more discussion on important matters of data and analysis
Note I hope Chris found his reference. Copy and paste into Google will find it
I also don't feel I have the authority to comment despite my life professional experience and retired membership of the Society
I hope I can speak for all/most Data Scientists, Statisticians, Data people, researchers, scientists etc. that we are supposed to be the people who care about things being done right for the right reasons
I have very strong feelings about the matter with regard to the very specific instrument called the Census
Relates to the nature of the Census - a bit old and quaint but still much loved with the head of a householld seemingly knowing and having the right to speak for everyone else on matters such as gender, preference, sexuality etc - and of course where we make our money and more recently how much
Also while LGBTQIA+ and anything else added later the construct may have some political meaning - although I doubt everyone under all those different constructs are on the same page of anything, but from a basic data defintion I would expect data people to argue on that basis.
EDIT Sorry for editing but I saw a few typos and forgot a seemingly obvious point that I rarely hear discussed - although maybe hinted at - if the Census is such an important instrument why meddle with it and use it for things that have never been asked in history - and could undermine the whole thing. None of us were excluded or all of us were on matters never asked - M,F and other or whatever people feel like saying. It has implications for the whole structure of the thing - maybe it needs a major revamp - treating everyone as individuals and the ability to answer questions privately on all matters
As something of an amateur genealogist I am sure everyone were happiy in the relationships and households they all told the census collector
There are serious limits in a compulsory and important insutrument on how far government or anyone for that matter should be in every part of our lives
There is my rant
Happy New Year and Christmas or whatever Celebration you enjoy at this time of year
PS I am not sure the end of many years are worth celebrating. Good to see the back of them and be disappointed again next year