this article delves into the demographics of the adult population identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (lgbt), examining the prevalence across different age groups and geographical locations.
we will explore national, state, and regional estimates, largely based on data obtained from the behavioral risk factor surveillance system (brfss). the pooling of multiple years of data is crucial for achieving more reliable estimates, especially at the state level.
lgbtq+ population distribution in the united states
based on combined brfss data, it is estimated that approximately 5% of adults in the united states identify as lgbtq+.
this translates to nearly 13 million individuals. the distribution of lgbtq+ individuals is not uniform across the country, with representation in every region. consistent with the overall population distribution of the united states, a larger proportion of lgbtq+ adults reside in the south compared to other regions.
however, regional percentages do fluctuate.
approximately half of the lgbtq+ population resides in the midwest and northeast regions, while about one-quarter live in the west.
less than one in five lgbtq+ adults live in the south. notably, the states with the highest number of lgbtq+ adults generally mirror those with the largest overall populations. an exception to this rule is washington state, which ranks 13th in overall adult population but holds the 10th position in terms of its adult lgbtq+ population.
age demographics within the lgbtq+ community
an interesting trend emerges when analyzing the age demographics within the lgbtq+ community.
nearly one in six young adults aged 18 to 24 identify as lgbtq+, while the proportion decreases among older age groups. this suggests a greater willingness among younger generations to openly identify as lgbtq+.
global perspectives on homosexuality: acceptance and division
despite significant advancements in laws and societal norms surrounding same-sex marriage and lgbtq+ rights globally, public opinion on the acceptance of homosexuality remains deeply divided across countries, regions, and levels of economic development.
attitudes towards the acceptance of homosexuality are strongly influenced by the country of residence. western europe and the americas generally exhibit more accepting views compared to eastern europe, russia, ukraine, the middle east, and sub-saharan africa.
the asia-pacific region displays a more mixed stance on the issue.
these variations are attributed not only to economic development but also to prevailing religious and political attitudes.
however, even within these divisions, attitudes are evolving in many countries that have been surveyed repeatedly since 2002, when the pew research center first began exploring this topic.
positive shifts in global acceptance of homosexuality
many countries surveyed in both 2002 and recent years have witnessed a notable increase in the acceptance of homosexuality.
this includes a 17-percentage-point increase in south africa and a 22-percentage-point increase in south korea over the same period. india has also experienced a 22-percentage-point increase since 2014, marking the first time a nationally representative sample was surveyed on this issue.
significant shifts in the acceptance of homosexuality have also occurred in mexico and japan over the past 17 years.
in both countries, just over half of the population expressed acceptance of homosexuality in 2002, whereas now, nearly seven-in-ten hold this view.
factors influencing acceptance: age, education, and ideology
across many of the countries surveyed, acceptance of homosexuality varies based on factors such as age, education, income, and, in some cases, gender.
these differences can be substantial. political ideology also plays a significant role, with individuals on the political right generally exhibiting less acceptance of homosexuality compared to those on the left. furthermore, supporters of right-wing populist parties in europe are also less inclined to view homosexuality as acceptable.
the correlation between economic development and acceptance
in general, countries with wealthier and more developed economies tend to display higher levels of acceptance of homosexuality compared to those with less developed economies.
these are some of the key findings from a pew research center survey involving over 38,000 individuals across 34 countries, conducted from may 13 to october 17, 2019.
this study serves as a follow-up to a previous report, revealing similar patterns while also highlighting a general increase in the acceptance of homosexuality across many of the countries surveyed in both periods.
the survey reveals that while a majority in 16 of the 34 countries surveyed believe that homosexuality should be accepted by society, global divisions persist.
regional variations in acceptance rates
on a regional basis, western europe and north america exhibit the highest levels of acceptance of homosexuality.
the asia-pacific region demonstrates a lack of consensus on the matter. in the three latin american countries surveyed, strong majorities express acceptance of homosexuality within society.
acceptance trends in the united states: a two-decade perspective
the pew research center has been collecting data on the acceptance of homosexuality in the u.s.
since 1994, revealing a relatively consistent increase in the proportion of people who believe that homosexuality should be accepted by society. interestingly, while it took approximately 15 years for acceptance to increase by 13 percentage points from 2001 to just before the federal legalization of same-sex marriage in june 2015, a similar increase occurred in the mere four years following legalization.
the partisan divide in the united states
while acceptance has grown over the past two decades, a significant partisan divide on the issue of homosexuality persists in the u.s.
concurrently, the u.s. maintains one of the lowest rates of acceptance among the western european and north and south american countries surveyed.
demographic factors influencing acceptance
in 22 of the 34 countries surveyed, younger adults are significantly more likely than their older counterparts to support the acceptance of homosexuality within society.
in most countries, there are no significant differences between men and women. however, in all 12 countries where a significant difference was observed, women were more likely to approve of homosexuality compared to men. in most countries surveyed, individuals with higher levels of education are significantly more likely to express acceptance of homosexuality compared to those with less education.
the role of political ideology
significant differences of this nature are found in countries with generally high levels of acceptance, such as italy, and in countries with lower levels of acceptance, such as ukraine.
in many countries where ideology is measured on a left-right scale, those on the left tend to be more accepting of homosexuality compared to those on the ideological right. these differences can be substantial. in south korea, for instance, individuals who identify as being on the ideological left are more than twice as likely to express acceptance of homosexuality compared to those on the ideological right.