Survey Finds 18 Million Americans Now Identify As LGBT

Survey Finds 18 Million Americans Now Identify As LGBT

A recent poll conducted by Gallup reveals that approximately 5.6% of U.S. adults, totaling up to 18 million individuals, now identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT). This figure marks an increase from the 4.5% reported in 2017 based on previous data……READ ALSO Steve Harvey: Americans Stole From Burna Boy And African Artists

The study, conducted throughout 2020 and based on over 15,000 interviews with Americans aged 18 and older, represents a shift in how sexual orientation is measured. Unlike previous surveys that asked respondents to simply identify as LGBT, the updated methodology allows for a more nuanced understanding by asking participants to specify their precise sexual orientation.

The results show that 86.7% of Americans still identify as heterosexual or straight, with 7.6% choosing not to respond to the question about their sexual orientation. Notably, more than half of LGBT adults (54.6%) identify as bisexual, followed by 24.5% as gay, 11.7% as lesbian, and 11.3% as transgender.

The data also highlight generational differences in LGBT identification, with younger generations showing a higher propensity for non-heterosexual identities. Approximately one in six Generation Z adults (aged 18 to 23 in 2020) identify as something other than heterosexual, compared to only 2% or less among those born before 1965.

Furthermore, the study indicates that bisexual identification is particularly prevalent among Generation Z and millennials (aged 24 to 39 in 2020), with older age groups showing less pronounced differences between bisexual and gay/lesbian identification.

Overall, the findings underscore the evolving landscape of sexual orientation in the United States, with younger generations leading the way in embracing diverse identities.