Age and Sex
You are here: Census.gov › People and Households › Age and Sex Main › About Age and Sex
About Age and Sex
Distinction between the concepts of gender and sex
In general discussions, the concept of gender is often confused with the concept of sex, and the terms are used interchangeably. The meanings of these two concepts are not the same: sex is based on the biological attributes of men and women (chromosomes, anatomy, hormones), while gender is a social construction whereby a society or culture assigns certain tendencies or behaviors the labels of masculine or feminine. These assignments may differ across cultures and among people within a culture, and even across time. Gender may or may not correspond directly to sex--depending on the society or culture or period. That means, for example, that people may associate themselves with femininity (as defined by their culture) while being biologically male. At the Census Bureau, the sex question wording very specifically intends to capture a person's biological sex and not gender. Ambiguity of these two concepts interferes with accurately and consistently measuring what we intend to measure--the sex composition of the population.
Purpose of the two-part question, “What is your age and what is your date of birth?”
The purpose of this two-part question frequently used in Census Bureau questionnaires is to ensure accuracy of age data and to minimize non-response rates. Because age is a critical element in determining federal funding, it is imperative to have high quality age data. Age is also a basic demographic characteristic that is crossed by social characteristics, such as marital status and education, and economic characteristics, such as labor force participation and poverty, in many data products. Especially because of the multiple uses of age data and their visibility, it is important that they be of high quality. Asking for both date of birth in month, day, and year format, along with age, helps to ensure that quality.
Facebook
Twitter
Flickr
YouTube