Gitnux/Report 2026

Gay People Statistics

Bisexual and LGB identification reaches 6.2% among U.S. adults in 2021, while 16% of Fortune 500 companies still lack publicly available LGBTQ inclusive benefits policies in 2024, a gap you will feel in everyday life. You will also see why 28% of LGBTQ+ adults avoid the doctor for fear of being treated differently and how that pressure pairs with major economic clout, including an estimated $22.6 billion in U.S. LGBTQ+ consumer spending in 2023.
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May 15, 2026Updated
Gay People Statistics
Leah KesslerWritten by Leah Kessler·Edited by Aisha Okonkwo·Fact-checked by Claire Beaumont
Published ·Updated
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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.

Related reading

01 · Category

Population Prevalence3 stats

01
3.6% of adults in the U.S. identified as bisexual in 2023[1]
02
2.1% of Canadian adults identified as bisexual in 2022[2]
03
6.2% of U.S. adults identified as lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) in 2021[3]
Interpretation

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.

02 · Category

Health & Mental Wellbeing5 stats

01
31% of LGBTQ adults in the U.S. reported that they had to teach their healthcare provider about LGBTQ issues (2019)[4]
02
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[1]
03
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]
04
9% of LGBTQ youth in the U.S. reported substance use due to stress from discrimination (2019)[5]
05
26% of LGBTQ people in the U.S. reported experiencing housing insecurity (2015-2018)[6]
Interpretation

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%.

03 · Category

Civic & Rights1 stats

01
1 in 3 Americans (34%) said transgender people should be protected from discrimination, in 2023[7]
Interpretation

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.

04 · Category

Market Size1 stats

01
$19.1 billion U.S. consumer spending potential for the LGBTQ+ community in 2023[8]
Interpretation

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.

06 · Category

Demographics3 stats

01
2.4% of U.S. adults identified as lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) in 2023[11]
02
1.6% of U.S. adults identified as transgender in 2023[11]
03
11.5% of U.S. adults identified as LGBTQ in 2023 (lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender)[11]
Interpretation

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.

More related reading

07 · Category

Health Outcomes1 stats

01
29% of LGBTQ+ respondents in the U.S. reported having been refused services by a doctor or clinic at least once (2019)[6]
Interpretation

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.

09 · Category

Employment & Workplace1 stats

01
19% of LGBTQ+ adults in the U.S. reported experiencing discrimination in housing or while looking for housing in the past year (2019)[13]
Interpretation

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.

10 · Category

Education & Safety2 stats

01
28% 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)[14]
02
1 in 6 LGBTQ+ students in the U.S. reported physical assault at school due to sexual orientation or gender identity (2019)[15]
Interpretation

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.

11 · Category

Market & Spending2 stats

01
$22.6 billion estimated U.S. LGBTQ+ consumer spending in 2023[16]
02
1.9x higher average spending per household among LGBTQ+ consumers compared with non-LGBTQ households (2023)[17]
Interpretation

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.
Reference

Cite This Report

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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.

Sources & references

17 sources cited across this report

  1. cdc.gov
  2. www150.statcan.gc.ca
  3. news.gallup.com
  4. glaad.org
  5. glsen.org
  6. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  7. pewresearch.org
  8. lgbtqss.org
  9. glassdoor.com
  10. hrc.org
  11. williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu
  12. ons.gov.uk
  13. huduser.gov
  14. healthaffairs.org
  15. eric.ed.gov
  16. google.com
  17. spendingpower.com