Currently the health system uses population based funding formulae for determining how much funding to allocate to different types of treatments and training of health practitioners etc. This may work out OK for determining levels of provision for e.g. treatment of diabetes and training for people to manage their condition. In the case of people who are transgender and who wish to transition, including seeking medical treatments including surgery, underestimates of population numbers mean there is less provision than would be expected. Some transgender people don't want medical treatments, but I understand that many do. Overseas research indicates that around 1 in 300 people are gender diverse. It would help with health service and health workforce planning is we had New Zealand numbers too.

Since we are part of the Pacific, there may be many names for personal identities (like fafa'afine or takataapui). Rather than name them all, having a drop-down box for more common choices, and allowing a write in option for other identities would be helpful.

I think the confusion is a false flag. Even if they're confused about the presence of the question, a cishet person is going to look at the options present for sex and know what to pick, and the options for gender identity and know what to pick.

If they've never questioned or wondered if their identity doesn't match that assigned at birth, they will pick male/man and female/woman without much hesitation. They may wonder why you're asking, but that's not really a valid reason to neglect to ask a question where the data output drive quality-of-life improvements for the trans community.

@Kay Scarlet great points thanks. and @Nat.

@Guy Marriage, the terms used by Kay - fafa'afine or takataapui, relate more to Gender Identity, not sexuality.

Personally, I know many Fafa'afine and imho they are different than alot of TS/TG/Q but one needs to understand them. They are beautiful. But it honestly isnt sexuality but gender identity.

Thanks @Rachael I need to be careful which thread I am posting in ;-) Gender identity and sexual orientation are definitely different.

Fafa'afine is a gender identity term for Samoan people assigned male at birth who identify with the spirit of a woman. Takataapui is a Maori term, originally for intimate friend of the same gender (LGB) but now often used as an umbrella term for Maori people with LGBTIQ identities.
Identity can be complex (see thesis) but questions can be simple.
http://www.google.co.nz/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCkQFjACahUKEwjL9cas_6TFAhXk4aYKHQYyADk&url=http%3A%2F%2Fresearcharchive.vuw.ac.nz%2Fxmlui%2Fbitstream%2Fhandle%2F10063%2F3179%2Fthesis.pdf%3Fsequence%3D7&ei=28ZFVYucGuTDmwWG5IDIAw&usg=AFQjCNGklzxXMFbwMhCnm3u8YZEIebG4Vg&bvm=bv.92291466,d.dGY

@Kay Scarlet, Thanks. Personally I believe Identity is not complex at all. If we are allowed to identify as we wish and believe correct.
It is only when you introduce GVT dept's, University Students and Professors, Acedemics and Statistics folk etc that it becomes complex.
I am who I am and you need to accept that, rather than tell me I am not who I am.

@Guy Marriage, sorry you feel you have to agree with me. You dont.

I think this discussion highlights why it's so important that these questions are asked - it's clear that there are different opinions on how people describe their gender identity. And, without wanting to offend anyone, it's very much based on each persons own experience. What we need is more information which the whole point of the census - collect as much information as possible from almost everyone.

Is it a tough question to ask? Not really, you offer as many choices that make sense and allow people to put other and describe it.

One potential benefit of these discussions is education and helping people to understand the topic and issues better, so welcome to @guymarriage, and great to see you asking some clarifying questions. And thanks to those who have answered - it's great to see people with different views having calm discussions Also welcome to those 'likers' out there (who haven't posted) but are still letting us know what you think.

Also a usability hint: if you put a @ before someones name (as you can see people doing) the system notifies them to let them know they have been mentioned.

Could the census not include a definition of each option to make the distinction between sex and gender identity clear to respondents? It's not a terribly complex concept, and should be easily explainable in a paragraph, perhaps paired with a URL linking to more information. Make the question optional, and include a 'Refused' option to facilitate those that find the question too difficult or foreign.