Feb. 20 (UPI) — Recent Gallup polling indicates a rising percentage of U.S. adults identify as LGBTQ+ with 9.3% of those polled in 2024, which is up more than 1% from 2023.
The percentage is nearly double the amount who identified as bisexual, lesbian, gay, transgender or something other than heterosexual in 2020 and significantly higher than the 3.5% affirming such in 2012, Gallup announced Thursday.
“In the nearly 12 years that Gallup has been tracking LGBTQ+ identification, it has nearly tripled,” Gallup said. “Those becoming adults during that period have been far more likely than their elders to say they are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.”
Younger generations generally are more likely to identify as LGBTQ+ when compared to older generations.
“LGBTQ+ identification is increasing as younger generations of Americans enter adulthood and are much more likely that older generations to say they are something other than heterosexual,” Gallup researchers said.
The latest Gallup polling shows more than 20% of Generation Z adults, which is made up of those born between 1997 and 2006, identify as LGBTQ+.
“Each older generation of adults, from millennials to the Silent Generation, has successively lower rates of identification, down to 1.8% among the oldest Americans, those born before 1946,” Gallup said.
Gallup polling shows LGBTQ+ identification among respective generations is:
The rate of Gen Z adults identifying as other-than-heterosexual rose from 18.8% from 2020 through 2022 to 22.7% during the past two years, according to Gallup.
Older generations indicate smaller rates of growth during the same period with rates rising by about 2% among millennials, 1% among Generation X, and no significant changes among baby boomers or the silent generation.
Gallup interviewed more than 14,000 U.S. adults in 2024 to obtain the latest tracking data.
The interviews including asking individuals whether they identify as straight or heterosexual, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or something else.
Some 85.7% of those surveyed identify as heterosexual, 5.2% as bisexual, 2% as gay, 1.4% as lesbian and 1.3% as transgender.
Less than 1% identified some other LGBTQ+ identity, such as pansexual, asexual or queer. Another 5% of those interviewed declined to answer the question.
The polling also shows LGBTQ+ identification differs by sex, political orientation and locale.
Democrats, 14%, and independents, 11%, identify as LBGTQ+ more than Republicans, 3% of whom identify as such.
Among liberals, 21% said they identify as LGBTQ+ versus 8% of moderates and 3% of conservatives.
Women, 10%, also identify as LBTQ+ versus 6% of men. Another 2% of those surveyed said they are nonbinary, 80% of whom identify as LGBTQ+.
Gallup began tracking LGBTQ+ identity in 2012 and obtains polling data via telephone surveys.