“I don’t know that it’s a conscious movement toward inclusion more than it makes sense to have accurate statistics,” animal science senior Uri Donnett said.

The change should be noted as a “symbolic step,” but it will not include anyone in Michigan because state law does not allow same-sex marriage, psychology and philosophy senior Justin Lippi said.

“I definitely think it’s good that it’s happening,” he said. “I just don’t think we should be totally satisfied.”

State Rep. Pam Byrnes, D-Lyndon Township, is attempting to change Michigan law to recognize gay marriage. The census count might be a step in the right direction for the state, she said.

“The more attention we get at the federal level firms up our argument that the attitudes are changing and we need to be (discussing) this until we have the full equal protection,” Byrnes said.

Those in disagreement with the census count said the bureau is violating the Defense of Marriage Act, abided by the former Bush administration, which prevented the federal government from recognizing same-sex couples.

“Questions still remain with this as to whether or not it still violates federal law,” said Gary Glenn, president of the American Family Association of Michigan.

Although Glenn expressed concern over the legality of the census count, Stephen Buckner, a U.S. Census Bureau spokesman, said counting same-sex couples would not violate any federal laws, said.

“We’re not discriminating against one group or another,” Buckner said.

Changing times might account for changes at the federal and state level, elementary education junior Joey Dombrowski said.

“The world is changing, and it’s becoming much more acceptable to be a homosexual,”
he said.

The 2000 census showed there were same-sex couples in every county in the nation, proving a need to be counted and become visible in federal data, said Jaime Grant, director of the Policy Institute at the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. Grant said the new count might not encourage the legitimacy of gay marriage in the country.

“This doesn’t recognize our marriage,” Grant said. “It simply reports accurate
legal data.”

The action taken by the bureau to count the couples is not a step toward legitimizing gay marriage, said Mike Price, spokesman at the Detroit Regional Census Center.

“Whatever the politics are, that doesn’t matter,” Price said. “What matters is counting everyone for their
fair share.”

The results of the 2010 census will be presented to President Barack Obama by Dec. 31, and the data products that include the same-sex married couples would be available in 2012, Buckner said.