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What Percentage Of The Us Is Gay
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The exact percentage of the U.S. population that identifies as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender is unclear because there has not been a national survey on sexual orientation in more than 10 years.
However, the most recent data estimating LGBTQ population size suggests that between 4.5% and 7% of Americans identify as a part of the LGBTQ community. This number could be much higher since all individuals may not feel comfortable or safe disclosing their sexual orientation and gender identity due to discrimination or even violence.
In addition to this, research indicates that minorities are significantly overrepresented among LGBT people: 22% of LGBT people in the United States identify as black and Latinx, compared with 18% who identify as white non-Hispanic .LGBTQ youth also make up disproportionate levels of homelessness, 40% of homeless youth estimated nationwide are LGBTQ+.
Research on international sexuality estimates that around 10-15 percent of people worldwide are either lesbian, gaybisexuality or transgender — 5-7 percent lesbian or gay and 5-8 percent bisexual or trans.
This means that approximately 9 million Americans are still part of the LGBTQ+ community but must remain largely closeted due to lack of safety within their communities and dignity surrounding healthcare rights, economic opportunities, immigration status and other areas where discrimination persists against members of this minority group.
Overview of the prevalence of same sex attraction in the US
The prevalence of same sex attraction in the United States varies significantly among different demographic groups. According to a recent Gallup poll, only 4.5% of Americans identify as LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender). This is based on survey data collected from an estimated 3 million adults in the US.
Interestingly, the demographic breakdowns show some striking differences between genders and age ranges. For instance, 7.3% of US adults identifying as LGBT are women while 2.7% are men; similarly 8.2% of 18- to 24-year-olds identify as LGBT compared to 3.4% for those aged 65 and older.
Overall, research shows that young people in the US are more likely to identify as LGBT than previous generations – although this may be due in part to increased social acceptance over time. With this in mind it’s worth noting that there’s evidence that suggests people are more likely to report same sex attraction when asked discretely – suggesting the true percentage could potentially be higher than currently reported figures.
Demographic breakdowns of LGBTQ+ individuals in the US
It’s difficult to estimate the exact percentage of the U.S. population that identifies as LGBTQ+ as there is no single survey or record used to collect this data. However, according to research from Gallup and The Williams Institute, around 10 million adults in 2020 identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer (LGBTQ+) within the United States. This estimation accounts for approximately 4.5% of adults over 18 years old in the US—more than double the estimated 2011 rate of 2.3%.
When it comes to specific demographic breakdowns of LGBTQ+ individuals in the US such as age, race and gender identity—there are also disparities found among these groups. According to a 2019 report by The Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law, younger adults ages 18-29 are more likely than adults over 30 to identify as LGBT (11% vs 6%). Additionally, research has shown that Black Americans were most likely of any racial or ethnic group to identify queer (12.7%) compared with 8% for non-Latinx White Americans and 7% for Latinx Americans. In regards to gender identity breakdowns, among those who identified lesbian/gay/bisexual there are significantly more women than men (71% women to 29% men). Furthermore, among people who identified as transgender in 2019 estimates show that 61% were male-to-female transgender individuals compared with 39% female-to-male trans individuals.
Statistics from surveys on sexual orientation & identity
Recent surveys have estimated that approximately 4.5% of the US population identifies as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT). This statistic is based on data from the 2017 General Social Survey and includes people who identified as non-heterosexual or chose not to respond to their sexual orientation in the survey.
Statistics also show that while over half of all LGBT adults identify as bisexual, nearly 30% identify as gay or lesbian. Approximately 15% of the US population identifies outside of traditional gender labels (such as “pansexual” or “other”), and about 2.4 million adults in the US consider themselves transgender.
Surveys conducted by various organizations such as Gallup and Williams Institute have shown an overall increase in people who identify as members of LGBT communities since 2000. As more individuals feel comfortable expressing their true identities, these estimates are likely to continue rising over time.
Historical milestones in LGBTQ+ rights in the US
In the late 20th century, a series of important milestones quietly began to extend rights to LGBTQ+ persons in the United States. In 1977, the cities of San Francisco and Minneapolis adopted ordinances prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. A few years later, in 1982, Wisconsin became the first US state to include sexual orientation in its anti-discrimination laws.
The recognition of same-sex marriages also started gaining ground in this period. By 1994, Hawaii had become the first state to legalize civil unions between same-sex couples and numerous other states followed suit over the years.
With every passing year, more and more strides were made for LGBTQ+ equality: in 2003, Lawrence v Texas struck down a 17-year-old sodomy law; in 2008 hate crime protection was expanded to include those targeted due to their gender identity or sexual orientation; and finally, in 2015 Obergefell v Hodges confirmed that all states had to recognize same-sex marriages!
Differences between states & urban areas
When it comes to determining what percentage of the US is gay, there are a few key factors to consider. One of the most important considerations is location – differences between states and urban areas can result in substantial variation in the percentages of individuals who identify as gay. For example, research from Gallup suggests that 5.6 percent of individuals living in urban areas identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT), compared to only 3.8 percent among those living in rural areas.
Furthermore, state-level legislation also has an impact on LGBT populations. Some states have passed bills banning discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, while other laws have made same-sex marriage legal and allowed adoption rights for same-sex couples. Many states with more tolerant policies tend to have higher percentages of LGBT residents than those with less tolerant policies. The Williams Institute estimates that 8 percent of adults in Hawaii and California self-identify as LGBT, whereas only 4 percent of those in Mississippi do so.
Clearly, location plays a role when considering what percentage of the US is gay – understanding the variance between rural and urban areas and across different states can help you understand this topic better.