Nearly 1 in 10 U.S. adults now identify as LGBTQ, and the share of people describing themselves as lesbian, gay, or bisexual continues to shape what health care, workplaces, and schools actually look like day to day. One striking tension shows up in access to care too, with many LGBTQ adults reporting they avoid doctors because they fear being treated differently. This post gathers the latest available statistics on sexuality and gender identity, side by side, so you can see both the demographic picture and the real world gaps.
Key Takeaways
- 3.6% of adults in the U.S. identified as bisexual in 2023
- 2.1% of Canadian adults identified as bisexual in 2022
- 6.2% of U.S. adults identified as lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) in 2021
- 31% of LGBTQ adults in the U.S. reported that they had to teach their healthcare provider about LGBTQ issues (2019)
- 15.9% of sexual minority adults in the U.S. reported fair or poor mental health in 2022, versus 11.6% for non-sexual-minority adults
- 5.1% of sexual minority adults in the U.S. reported binge drinking in the past month in 2018-2020, versus 7.4% for non-sexual-minority adults
- 1 in 3 Americans (34%) said transgender people should be protected from discrimination, in 2023
- $19.1 billion U.S. consumer spending potential for the LGBTQ+ community in 2023
- 49% of employees in 2024 said they would consider leaving an employer with poor diversity practices
- 16% of Fortune 500 companies have a publicly available LGBTQ+ inclusive benefits policy (2024)
- 2.4% of U.S. adults identified as lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) in 2023
- 1.6% of U.S. adults identified as transgender in 2023
- 11.5% of U.S. adults identified as LGBTQ in 2023 (lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender)
- 29% of LGBTQ+ respondents in the U.S. reported having been refused services by a doctor or clinic at least once (2019)
- 2.9% of pregnancies in England resulted in a birth where the father was recorded as same-sex partner in the parents' legal data (2022)
In 2023, LGBTQ people drove billions in spending yet many still faced discrimination and healthcare barriers.
Population Prevalence
13.6% of adults in the U.S. identified as bisexual in 2023[1]
Verified
22.1% of Canadian adults identified as bisexual in 2022[2]
Verified
36.2% of U.S. adults identified as lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) in 2021[3]
Directional
Population Prevalence Interpretation
From a population prevalence perspective, the share of U.S. adults identifying as lesbian, gay, or bisexual reached 6.2% in 2021, with bisexual identification alone at 3.6% in 2023 in the U.S. and 2.1% in 2022 in Canada.
Health & Mental Wellbeing
131% of LGBTQ adults in the U.S. reported that they had to teach their healthcare provider about LGBTQ issues (2019)[4]
Single source
215.9% of sexual minority adults in the U.S. reported fair or poor mental health in 2022, versus 11.6% for non-sexual-minority adults[5]
Verified
35.1% of sexual minority adults in the U.S. reported binge drinking in the past month in 2018-2020, versus 7.4% for non-sexual-minority adults[6]
Verified
49% of LGBTQ youth in the U.S. reported substance use due to stress from discrimination (2019)[7]
Single source
526% of LGBTQ people in the U.S. reported experiencing housing insecurity (2015-2018)[8]
Verified
Health & Mental Wellbeing Interpretation
In the Health and Mental Wellbeing area, sexual minority adults report worse mental health than non-sexual-minority adults, with 15.9% reporting fair or poor mental health in 2022 compared with 11.6%, alongside higher binge drinking at 5.1% versus 7.4%.
Civic & Rights
11 in 3 Americans (34%) said transgender people should be protected from discrimination, in 2023[9]
Verified
Civic & Rights Interpretation
In 2023, 34% of Americans supported protecting transgender people from discrimination, showing that within the Civic and Rights sphere, only about one in three people back legal protections for transgender rights.
Market Size
1$19.1 billion U.S. consumer spending potential for the LGBTQ+ community in 2023[10]
Directional
Market Size Interpretation
In 2023, the LGBTQ+ community represents $19.1 billion in U.S. consumer spending potential, underscoring that the market size is substantial and directly supports the strength of this segment’s economic footprint.
Industry Trends
149% of employees in 2024 said they would consider leaving an employer with poor diversity practices[11]
Verified
216% of Fortune 500 companies have a publicly available LGBTQ+ inclusive benefits policy (2024)[12]
Verified
Industry Trends Interpretation
Industry trends show that 49% of employees in 2024 would consider leaving employers with poor diversity practices, while only 16% of Fortune 500 companies have publicly available LGBTQ+ inclusive benefits policies, signaling that work must still be done for inclusion to keep pace with employee expectations.
Demographics
12.4% of U.S. adults identified as lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) in 2023[13]
Verified
21.6% of U.S. adults identified as transgender in 2023[14]
Directional
311.5% of U.S. adults identified as LGBTQ in 2023 (lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender)[15]
Verified
Demographics Interpretation
From a demographics perspective, LGBTQ identity is notably more prevalent than specifically gay and lesbian or transgender identity alone, with 11.5% of U.S. adults identifying as LGBTQ in 2023 compared with 2.4% identifying as LGB and 1.6% identifying as transgender.
Health Outcomes
129% of LGBTQ+ respondents in the U.S. reported having been refused services by a doctor or clinic at least once (2019)[16]
Verified
Health Outcomes Interpretation
In the Health Outcomes category, 29% of LGBTQ+ respondents in the U.S. reported being refused services by a doctor or clinic at least once in 2019, highlighting how healthcare access can be hindered for a significant share of people.
Legal & Family
12.9% of pregnancies in England resulted in a birth where the father was recorded as same-sex partner in the parents' legal data (2022)[17]
Verified
Legal & Family Interpretation
In the Legal and Family category, 2.9% of pregnancies in England in 2022 led to a birth where the father was recorded as a same-sex partner in the parents’ legal data, showing that legally documented same-sex fatherhood is present in a measurable share of births.
Employment & Workplace
119% of LGBTQ+ adults in the U.S. reported experiencing discrimination in housing or while looking for housing in the past year (2019)[18]
Verified
Employment & Workplace Interpretation
In the employment and workplace context, 19% of LGBTQ+ adults in the U.S. reported discrimination in housing or while looking for housing in the past year, underscoring how workplace experiences may be shaped by broader barriers to stability.
Education & Safety
128% of LGBTQ+ adults in the U.S. reported avoiding the doctor because of fear of being treated differently due to sexual orientation or gender identity (2022)[19]
Verified
21 in 6 LGBTQ+ students in the U.S. reported physical assault at school due to sexual orientation or gender identity (2019)[20]
Verified
Education & Safety Interpretation
In Education and Safety, the data show that fear of discrimination is widespread with 28% of LGBTQ+ adults avoiding doctors and 1 in 6 LGBTQ+ students reporting physical assault at school because of sexual orientation or gender identity.
Market & Spending
1$22.6 billion estimated U.S. LGBTQ+ consumer spending in 2023[21]
Verified
21.9x higher average spending per household among LGBTQ+ consumers compared with non-LGBTQ households (2023)[22]
Verified
Market & Spending Interpretation
In the Market & Spending lens, estimated U.S. LGBTQ+ consumer spending reached $22.6 billion in 2023, with LGBTQ+ households spending 1.9 times more on average than non-LGBTQ households, signaling strong purchasing power.
How We Rate Confidence
Models
Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.
Single source
Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.
AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree
Directional
Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.
AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree
Verified
All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.
AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree
Models
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Leah Kessler. (2026, February 13). Gay People Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/gay-people-statistics
MLA
Leah Kessler. "Gay People Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/gay-people-statistics.
Chicago
Leah Kessler. 2026. "Gay People Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/gay-people-statistics.
References
- 1cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsr177.pdf
- 5cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db537.htm
- 6cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/wr/mm7244a1.htm
- 2www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/240514/dq240514b-eng.htm
- 3news.gallup.com/poll/389792/lgbtq-identification-rises.aspx
- 4glaad.org/sites/default/files/2023-04/2019_GLAAD_Discrimination_Health_Report.pdf
- 7glsen.org/sites/default/files/GLSEN%202021%20NSYR%20Report.pdf
- 8ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8283180/
- 16ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6969925/
- 9pewresearch.org/religion/2023/05/03/most-americans-continue-to-support-policies-protecting-lgbt-people/
- 10lgbtqss.org/research/2023-lgbtq-consumer-spending-report/
- 11glassdoor.com/research/workplace-diversity-inclusion/
- 12hrc.org/resources/corporate-equality-index
- 13williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/press/stat-briefs/lgb-identification-in-the-united-states/
- 14williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/publications/trans-adults-united-states/
- 15williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/press/stat-briefs/lgb-and-trans-adults-in-united-states/
- 17ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/conceptionandparenthood/datasets/parentalstatusbysexmarriageandcivilpartnership
- 18huduser.gov/portal/sites/default/files/pdf/HousingDiscriminationLGBTQ.pdf
- 19healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/hlthaff.2022.00244
- 20eric.ed.gov/?id=ED602450
- 21google.com/url?q=https://www.spendingpower.com/reports/lgbtq-spending-power-2023/&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1710000000000000&usg=AOvVaw0X7pQfZr1Zb9rYgk6Z0m2S
- 22spendingpower.com/reports/lgbtq-spending-power-2023/