Census suggests counting LGBT, then ‘corrects’ proposal

The U.S. Census Bureau said Wednesday that it mistakenly proposed counting LGBTQ Americans and has since “corrected” the proposal to remove the gender and sexuality category. Gay rights groups quickly declared that it was another sign that President Donald Trump was reneging on a campaign promise to protect them.

The statement came a day after the agency sent Congress its proposals for the subjects to ask Americans about categorizing themselves in the 2020 Census and an annual survey.

The proposal “inadvertently listed sexual orientation and gender identity as a proposed topic in the appendix,” the agency said in a statement. “This topic is not being proposed to Congress for the 2020 Census or American Community Survey.”

Copies of the appendix show the bureau proposing a subject called “sexual orientation and gender identity.” The subject did not appear in a subsequent copy.