LGBTQ

Americans Are Identifying as LGBTQ More Than Ever, Poll Finds

1 in 6 members of Gen Z identify as something other than heterosexual

In this Nov. 7, 2020, file photo, people wave a rainbow flag as they celebrate the victory of Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election in West Hollywood, California.
David McNew/AFP via Getty Images

An estimated 5.6% of Americans identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer, according to a new Gallup report. That’s up from 4.5% in 2017, the last year polling on the issue was conducted by the organization, NBC News reports.

Of those surveyed who identified as LGBTQ, 54.6% identified as bisexual, 24.5% as gay, 11.7% as lesbians, 11.3% as transgender and 3.3% said they used another term to describe their identity (i.e. queer or same-gender loving). The total exceeds 100% because respondents were able to choose more than one category.

The results were based on more than 15,000 interviews conducted with adults 18 and older throughout 2020.

Younger Americans are increasingly likely to consider themselves part of the LGBTQ community: Nearly 16% of Generation Z, those 18 to 23 in 2020, consider themselves something other than heterosexual. That compares to just 2% of Americans 56 and older.

Read the full story on NBCNews.com

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