While society often portrays sexual orientation as a rare binary, the reality revealed by the numbers—from nearly 20% of Gen Z adults identifying as LGBTQ+ to the dramatic generational shifts and significant health and social disparities—paints a far more complex and expansive picture.
Key Takeaways
- 7.2% of U.S. adults identify as LGBTQ+ in 2023
- 19.7% of Gen Z adults identify as LGBTQ+ in 2023
- 11.3% of Millennials identify as LGBTQ+ in 2023
- 20.8% of Gen Z women identify as LGBT
- 10.6% of Gen Z men identify as LGBT
- Bisexual identification higher among women (11.4%) than men (2.0%)
- 28% higher depression rates among LGB adults
- LGB youth 4x more likely to attempt suicide
- 40% of transgender adults attempted suicide
- 72% of Americans support same-sex marriage in 2023
- 61% support nondiscrimination laws for LGBT
- 71% say homosexuality should be accepted
- Support for gay marriage rose from 27% in 1996 to 70% 2021
- LGBT identification doubled from 3.5% in 2012 to 7.1% in 2022
- Bisexual identification tripled since 2012
LGBTQ+ identification grows in younger generations, reaching nearly one in five Gen Z adults.
Attitudes
- 72% of Americans support same-sex marriage in 2023
- 61% support nondiscrimination laws for LGBT
- 71% say homosexuality should be accepted
- 49% of Republicans support gay marriage
- 87% Democrats support gay marriage
- 60% oppose transgender athletes in sports matching gender identity
- 69% say gender determined at birth
- 81% of young adults (18-29) accept homosexuality
- 38% in Nigeria accept homosexuality
- 94% in Canada accept homosexuality
- 55% support adoption by gay couples
- 70% favor gay kissing in public
- 92% of LGBT report discrimination experiences
- 39% say society more accepting now
- 19% of Americans know transgender person
- 62% oppose religious refusal of services to gays
Attitudes Interpretation
The American conscience has largely made peace with love, but remains deeply unsettled by the complex vocabulary of identity.
Demographics
- 20.8% of Gen Z women identify as LGBT
- 10.6% of Gen Z men identify as LGBT
- Bisexual identification higher among women (11.4%) than men (2.0%)
- LGBT identification highest among Black (9.5%) and Hispanic (8.8%) adults
- 4.7% of White U.S. adults identify as LGBT
- Urban areas have 9.3% LGBT vs 4.3% rural
- LGBT higher in West (7.9%) vs Midwest (5.5%)
- College graduates 6.2% LGBT vs 4.8% non-grads
- LGBT identification 9.3% among Democrats, 2.3% Republicans
- Median age of gay men coming out 18, lesbians 17
- Younger cohorts come out earlier, Gen Z at 14 median
- 25% of LGBT adults married or partnered
- 39% of LGBT have children
- Higher LGBT rates in arts/entertainment (13%)
- Lower in farming/mining (1.6%)
- 12.1% of bisexuals in poverty vs 6.5% straights
- Gay men earn 10% more than straight men
- Lesbians earn 9% less than straight women
- Transgender poverty rate 29.4%
- 54% of LGBT adults have college degree vs 40% straights
- Hispanic LGBT 16% foreign-born
- Black LGBT youth 24% vs 14% white
- Asian American LGBT identification 5.4%
- LGBT veterans 3.5% of veterans
Demographics Interpretation
The statistics paint a picture of a diverse and resilient LGBT community where Gen Z women are rewriting the rulebook in the cities, lesbians beat gay men to the punch but get paid less for it, and while the arts are fabulous, farming is still figuring things out, all against a sobering backdrop where coming out younger hasn't yet erased staggering economic disparities for bisexual and transgender Americans.
Health
- 28% higher depression rates among LGB adults
- LGB youth 4x more likely to attempt suicide
- 40% of transgender adults attempted suicide
- Gay men HIV prevalence 12%
- Bisexual men 10x HIV risk vs straight
- LGB smoking rates 23% vs 15% straight
- Lesbian obesity 25% higher
- Transgender 2.5x cardiovascular disease risk
- 50% of LGB report healthcare discrimination
- Gay men alcohol use disorder 20% vs 10% straight
- Bisexual women highest depression 48%
- LGBT youth bullying victimization 3x higher
- Trans adults uninsured 21% vs 10% cis
- LGB cancer screening lower by 10-20%
- Gay/bisexual men PrEP use 35%
- Lesbian substance use 30% higher
- Transgender hormone therapy reduces suicide ideation 40%
- LGB intimate partner violence 44% lifetime
- Bisexual IPV highest at 61%
- LGBT homelessness youth 40% of homeless youth
- Gay men anxiety disorders 42% vs 25% straight
Health Interpretation
These statistics paint a grim portrait of a society whose prejudice, discrimination, and neglect are metabolized by LGBTQ+ individuals into devastating health disparities across nearly every measure of well-being.
Prevalence
- 7.2% of U.S. adults identify as LGBTQ+ in 2023
- 19.7% of Gen Z adults identify as LGBTQ+ in 2023
- 11.3% of Millennials identify as LGBTQ+ in 2023
- 4.0% of Gen X identify as LGBTQ+ in 2023
- 2.0% of Boomers identify as LGBTQ+ in 2023
- 1.1% of Silent Generation identify as LGBTQ+ in 2023
- 3.5% of U.S. adults identified as LGBT in 2012
- 5.6% of U.S. adults identified as LGBT in 2020
- 2.5% of U.S. men identify as gay
- 8.5% of U.S. women identify as LGBT
- 57.3% of LGBT adults identify as bisexual
- 21.8% of LGBT adults identify as gay
- 8.8% of LGBT adults identify as lesbian
- 1.8% identify as transgender
- 86.6% of Gen Z LGBT identify as bisexual
- 1.4% of U.S. population estimated as gay or lesbian by Williams Institute
- 1.7% of U.S. adults estimated as bisexual
- 0.6% transgender adults in U.S.
- 4.5% of U.K. adults identify as LGB
- 1.3% of U.K. adults gay or lesbian
- 0.5% of U.K. adults bisexual
- 3.2% of Brazilian adults non-heterosexual
- 10% lifetime same-sex attraction per Kinsey
- 2-4% exclusively homosexual per modern estimates
- 9.7% of Dutch adults LGB
- 15.5% of U.S. young adults (18-24) LGBT
- 2.8% of U.S. adults report same-sex sexual behavior
- 1.9% of men report lifetime same-sex partners
- 1.5% of women report same-sex attraction
- 4.1% of Australian adults LGB
Prevalence Interpretation
It seems society is no longer politely pretending to be as straight as a ruler, given that each younger generation's LGBTQ+ identification skyrockets like a generational game of truth or dare.
Trends
- Support for gay marriage rose from 27% in 1996 to 70% 2021
- LGBT identification doubled from 3.5% in 2012 to 7.1% in 2022
- Bisexual identification tripled since 2012
- Transgender identification up 5x since 2012
- Gen Z LGBT 1 in 5, up from Millennials 1 in 10
- U.K. LGB identification from 1.5% 2014 to 3.2% 2021
- Same-sex marriage support +43 points since 1996
- Youth suicide attempts down post-gay marriage legalization
- Hate crimes against LGBT up 25% 2015-2020
- Openly gay athletes in pro sports increased post-2010s
- Global decriminalization of homosexuality 130 countries 2023
- U.S. employment nondiscrimination laws from 3 states 1990 to 22 2023
- Media representation LGBT characters up 200% 2010-2020
- Coming out age dropped from 20s to teens
- PrEP prescriptions up 1000% since 2012
- U.S. states with trans protections from 0 to 25 2000-2023
Trends Interpretation
In a single generation, we’ve witnessed a profound and rapid shift where society's growing embrace of LGBTQ+ people is running headlong into a backlash, as evidenced by skyrocketing support and visibility tragically paired with a surge in hate crimes and legislative attacks.
Sources & References
- Reference 1NEWSnews.gallup.comVisit source
- Reference 2WILLIAMSINSTITUTEwilliamsinstitute.law.ucla.eduVisit source
- Reference 3ONSons.gov.ukVisit source
- Reference 4IBGEibge.gov.brVisit source
- Reference 5KINSEYINSTITUTEkinseyinstitute.orgVisit source
- Reference 6ENen.wikipedia.orgVisit source
- Reference 7CBScbs.nlVisit source
- Reference 8CDCcdc.govVisit source
- Reference 9ABSabs.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 10PEWRESEARCHpewresearch.orgVisit source
- Reference 11NCBIncbi.nlm.nih.govVisit source
- Reference 12KFFkff.orgVisit source
- Reference 13STOPBULLYINGstopbullying.govVisit source
- Reference 14CANCERcancer.govVisit source
- Reference 15NIDAnida.nih.govVisit source
- Reference 16JAMANETWORKjamanetwork.comVisit source
- Reference 17HUDEXCHANGEhudexchange.infoVisit source
- Reference 18NBERnber.orgVisit source
- Reference 19JUSTICEjustice.govVisit source
- Reference 20OUTSPORTSoutsports.comVisit source
- Reference 21ILGAilga.orgVisit source
- Reference 22LGBTMAPlgbtmap.orgVisit source
- Reference 23GLADglad.orgVisit source
- Reference 24ACLUaclu.orgVisit source