When the 2010 Census numbers are eventually crunched, expect to learn nothing about gay couples or families. Neither will exist in the supposed snapshot of the American populace.

Census takers will mark down gay couples, even those married in Connecticut or Massachusetts, as “unmarried partners.” This non-counting will also apply to families. They will be checked as single parent households.

“This is all about the numbers. This  [is] not about lifestyle or anything else,” says U.S. Census spokeswoman Cynthia Endo.

Lifestyle?! Lifestyle?! Sigh. Let’s leave Ms. Endo alone for a moment and listen to someone who will explain why being miscounted is a problem.

“We have no population-based survey that asks sexual orientation annually in this country,” said Gary Gates of UCLA School of Law. Gates, who is well known for his own demographic work on the gay community, thinks health care could be one place where a clear  LGBT count would be helpful. I’m no genius but here is a health problem where some good numbers are required.

There’s nothing we can do about the 2010 Census, but it is time to start shaking the tree for 2020. Yes I know that’s a far way off but it takes Congress to fix this. And there is going to be a lot of work to do with the Defense of Marriage Act standing in the way. That law, signed by Bill Clinton, makes sure the federal government recognizes no state sanctioned gay union.  Start bugging your representative and gay rights organizations.