Lgbtq+ Statistics [2023 Data] Facts, Discrimination & More

Gay, lesbian, non-binary, queer, transgender…

Today, gender is no longer confined to the traditional gender roles of male and female.

And for many, the growing LGBTQ+ community has made it easier, safer, and more accepted than ever before to be who they are.

In the following article, we’ve searched through dozens of studies, papers, and research articles to bring you the most up-to-date facts and figures surrounding today’s LBGTQ+ community.

Let’s jump in!

LGBTQ+ Key Statistics

Population Size And Generations

5% of Americans identify as LGBTQ+
54% of LGBTQ+ people are bisexual.
3.1% of Americans are bisexual.
1.4% of Americans are gay.
11.7% of the LGBTQ+ community are lesbians.
Less than 1% of Americans are lesbians.
11.3% of LGBTQ+ members are transgender.
1.4 million Americans identify as transgender.
4% of Californians over the age of 18 are part of the LGBTQ+ community.
16% of Gen Z identifies as LGBTQ+.
72% of the US Gen Z population are bisexual.
9.1% of the US Millennial population are LGBTQ+ members.
50% of US Millennials are bisexual.
3.8% of US Generation X are LGBTQ+.
2% of US Baby Boomers are LGBTQ+.
1 in 3 Millennials is non-binary.
8% of those over 45 are non-binary.
Women are 138% more likely to be bisexual.
There are between 1,320 to 15,500 transgender individuals in the US military.

Poverty And Homelessness

29% of US transgender individuals live in poverty.
LGBTQ+ adults are more than 200% more likely to live below the poverty line.
LGBTQ+ youth are 120% more likely to experience poverty.

Healthcare

One-third of transgender people need to educate their physicians about gender identity.
15% of US LGBTQ+ members have avoided medical treatment due to discrimination.
73% of LGBTQ+ youth experience anxiety.
More than half of all LGBTQ+ youth experience depression.
30% of transgender people avoid medical treatment due to a lack of understanding surrounding gender identity.
69% of new HIV diagnoses are non-white gay and bisexual men.
40% of LGBTQ+ between 60 to 80 say their doctor does not know about their gender or sexual identity.

Workplace Acceptance And Discrimination

93% of Americans say gay people should have equal rights in the workplace.
95% of Fortune 500 companies have implemented non-discrimination policies for LGBTQ+ people.
71% of Fortune 500 companies offer transgender-inclusive benefits.
15% of LGBTQ+ women feel their sexual identity will negatively impact their career.
30% of LGBTQ+ men feel their sexuality will negatively impact their job.
40% of LGBTQ+ adults have experienced discrimination by a friend or family member.
58% of LGBTQ+ adults have been the target of slurs.
54% of US LGBTQ+ members have hidden a relationship.
30% of LGBTQ+ adults have been physically threatened or attacked.
Forty-four transgender people were killed in the US in 2020.

Suicide And Self-Harm

12.5% of LGBTQ+ people aged 18 to 24 have attempted suicide.
50% of all transgender people contemplate suicide.
45% of LGBTQ+ youth contemplate suicide.
14% of LGBTQ+ youth have attempted suicide.
21% of pansexuals have attempted suicide within the past year.

Religion

84% say the Muslim faith is unfriendly toward the LGBTQ+ community.
10% of LGBTQ+ adults say the Jewish or Protestant religions are LGBTQ+ friendly.
48% of the LGBTQ+ community have no religious affiliations.

Race And Ethnicity

17% of African-American LGBTQ+ youth say they’ve been physically threatened or injured.
76% of Indigenous LGBTQ+ youth experience discrimination.

Relationship, Marriage, And Family

20% of same-sex couples have at least one child.
20% of LGBTQ+ respondents have been physically assaulted by their partner.
75% did not report the incident to the police.
58% of LGBTQ+ say the issue of same-sex marriage should be a priority.
16% of LGBTQ+ adults are married.
66% of lesbians are in a committed relationship.
40% of gay men are in committed relationships.

LGBTQ+ Key Statistics
What Does LGBTQ+ Mean?
How Many Sexes Are There?
LGBTQ+ Population: How Many People Identify As LGBTQ+?
How Many Americans Are Bisexual?
How Many Americans Are Gay?
How Many Americans Are Lesbian?
How Many Americans Are Transgender?
LGBTQ+ Population By US State
What States Have The Largest LGBTQ+ Populations?
What States Have The Smallest LGBTQ+ Populations?
LGBTQ+ By Generation And Gender
How Many LGBTQ+ Are In The Military?
What Percentage Of Homeless Are LGBT In The US?
Who Are The Homeless Youth In America?
What Are Some LGBTQ+ Health Disparities?
What Are The Problems And Challenges Faced By The LGBTQ+ Community?
Does LGBTQ Count As Underrepresented In Medicine?
Where Is The Best Place To Live For LGBT?
What Is The Safest Place To Live For LGBTQ+?
How Can Employers Support LGBTQ Employees At Work?
What Are The Challenges Faced By LGBTQ+ In The Workplace?
What Are The Problems Faced By LGBTQ+ Community In Society?
LGBTQ+ Suicide And Attempted Suicide Rates
Do Religions Accept The LGBTQ+ Community?
How Many People Of Color Are LGBTQ+?
How Do LGBTQ+ Have Children?
Can Same-Sex Couples Get Married?
References

What Does LGBTQ+ Mean?

LGBTQ+ stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and others.
The term LGBT was first introduced and widely used in the 1990s to denote anyone who did not identify as cisgender or heterosexual.
Other variants of the term, including LGBT, LGBT+, LGBTQ+, and LGBTQA+, are occasionally used to identify the same population.

How Many Sexes Are There?

When it comes to gender and sexuality, it’s no longer a male or female world.

More than ever, people are coming out as a wide variety of genders and sexualities, ranging from men who are attracted to other men to women who don’t discriminate and love others no matter how they identify, whether that’s as a man, woman, or anything else in between.

Fortunately, more than 90% of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender adults say they believe society is more accepting of them than in the past.

However, there are still many people who are uncomfortable or who don’t know about the wide range of genders and sexuality that exist.

Below, we’ve listed some of the most common genders and sexualities and their definitions.

Sexuality/Gender	Description
Heterosexual	Commonly used to describe people who are attracted to the opposite sex/gender.
Cisgender	People who identify with the gender they were assigned at birth.
Transgender	People who identify with a gender other than the one they were assigned at birth.
Transexual	An individual who has had gender reassignment surgery.
Homosexual	People who are attracted to others with the same gender as their own.
Gay	People who identify as male that are attracted to other males.
Lesbian	People who identify as female and are attracted to other females.
Bisexual	People who are attracted to more than one gender or sexuality
Pansexual	Those who do not lose based on gender or sexuality.
Asexual	People who experience virtually no sexual attraction to others.
Demisexual	Those who only experience sexual attraction after they’ve formed a solid emotional bond with another person.
Polyamorous	People who consensually engage in open relationships with multiple individuals
Queer or Gender fluid	Used for people who do not identify as heterosexual, homesexual, or cisgender.
Ally	Any individual who supports members of the LGBTQ+ community.

LGBTQ+ Population: How Many People Identify As LGBTQ+?

5.6% of Americans identify themselves as part of the LGBTQ+ community.
This number is up more than 24% from the 4.5% of Americans who identify as LGBTQ+ members in 2017.
On the other hand, 86.7% of Americans say they are heterosexual.

How Many Americans Are Bisexual?

Most American LGBTQ+ people say they are bisexual.
More than 54% of the LGBTQ+ community say they are bisexual.
3.1% of Americans identify as bisexual.

How Many Americans Are Gay?

24.5% of the LGBTQ+ community identifies as gay.
1.4% of Americans identify as gay.

How Many Americans Are Lesbian?

11.7% of the LGBTQ+ population identify as lesbian.
0.7% of Americans identify as lesbian.

How Many Americans Are Transgender?

11.3% of the LGBTQ+ community say they are transgender.
1.4 million–-or 0.6%—of Americans say they are transgender.

LGBTQ+ Population By US State

As of 2017, California, Texas, Florida, and New York had between 500,000 and 1.4 million individuals identifying as LGBTQ+.
An estimated 4% of adults in California identify as LGBTQ+.
Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, and South Dakota have some of the smallest LGBTQ+ populations. (between 8,000 and 49,000)

What States Have The Largest LGBTQ+ Populations?

US State	% Of LGBTQ+ Adults	Total LGBTQ+ Population	% Of LGBTQ+ Workforce	Total LGBTQ+ Workers	% Of LGBTQ+ Adults With Children
California	5.30%	1859000	6%	1194000	24%
Texas	4.10%	1053000	5%	647000	29%
Florida	4.60%	886000	5%	545000	24%
New York	5.10%	913000	6%	588000	22%

*All statistics from 2019-2020

What States Have The Smallest LGBTQ+ Populations?

US State	% Of LGBTQ+ Adults	Total LGBTQ+ Population	% Of LGBTQ+ Workforce	Total LGBTQ+ Workers	% Of LGBTQ+ Adults With Children
Idaho	2.80%	48000	3%	25000	44%
Montana	2.90%	30000	3%	18000	19%
Wyoming	3.30%	18000	3%	10000	28%
North Dakota	2.70%	20000	3%	12000	10%
South Dakota	3%	25000	3%	15000	29%

*All statistics from 2019-2020

LGBTQ+ By Generation And Gender

1 out of 6 adults from Gen Z considers themselves to be LGBTQ+.
72% of Americans in Gen Z say they are bisexual.
9.1% of American Millennials are LGBTQ+.
50% of American Millennials say they are bisexual.
3.8% of American Generation X identify as LGBTQ+.
Only 2% of American Baby Boomers identify as LGBTQ+.
One-third of Millennials identify as non-binary.
Only 8% of those over the age of 45 identify as non-binary.
Women are more than 30% more likely to identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community.
Women are 138% more likely than men to identify as bisexual.

How Many LGBTQ+ Are In The Military?

In 1982, the US military enacted a policy to ban gay men and lesbians from serving in the Army.
Until 2011, openly gay, lesbian, and bisexual individuals were prohibited from serving in the military.
It wasn’t until 2021 that transgender people were permitted to serve.
Estimates range from 1,320 to 15,500 transgender people actively serving in the military.

What Percentage Of Homeless Are LGBT In The US?

29% of American transgender people live in poverty.
Conversely, only 15.7% of cisgender people live in poverty.
LGBTQ+ adults are more than 200% more likely than heterosexual adults to live below the poverty line.
Young members of the LGBTQ+ community are 120% more likely to experience poverty and homelessness than straight-identifying youth.

Who Are The Homeless Youth In America?

7% of the US LGBTQ+ community are considered youths, but they make up some 40% of the youth homeless population in the US.
LGBTQ+ people make up 29% of the youth homeless population in Santa Clara County, California.

What Are Some LGBTQ+ Health Disparities?

One-third of transgender individuals have needed to educate their physician or healthcare provider about gender identity.
70% of young LGBTQ+ members admit to a decline in mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.
15% of American LGBTQ+ members have put off medical assessments or treatment due to fear of discrimination.
73% of LGBTQ+ youth experience anxiety.
58% of LGBTQ+ youth experience depression.

What Are The Problems And Challenges Faced By The LGBTQ+ Community?

Overall, more than 50% of LGBTQ+ people have experienced depression.
3 out of 5 LGBTQ+ members have experienced anxiety.
30% of transgender people say they avoid medical treatment due to a lack of understanding by physicians and healthcare workers.
69% of newly diagnosed HIV cases are non-white gay and bisexual men.
In 2018, 37% of new HIV diagnoses were African-American gay or bisexual men.
In comparison, only 27% of new HIV diagnoses were gay or bisexual caucasian men.

Does LGBTQ Count As Underrepresented In Medicine?

48% of LGBTQ+ youth fear discussing their mental health concerns as the reason they could not obtain the mental health care they need.
40% of LGBTQ+ senior adults aged 60 to 80 say their healthcare provider does not know their sexual identity.
10% of LGBTQ+ say they’ve been discriminated against by a healthcare professional within the past year.

Where Is The Best Place To Live For LGBT?

Americans are increasingly accepting of equal rights for LGBTQ+ people.
In 2019, 93% of Americans said gay people should have equal rights regarding job opportunities.
In 2019, 83% of Americans said gay or lesbian relations between consenting adults should be legal.
In 2019, 75% of Americans said gays and lesbians should have the right to adopt children.
89% of LGBTQ+ youth say that seeing non-cisgender representation in movies and on TV made them feel good about themselves.

What Is The Safest Place To Live For LGBTQ+?

Canada, Australia, and Western European countries are some of the most accepting places in the world for LGBTQ+ individuals.
80% of respondents from those countries say society should accept homosexuality.
As of 2021, in Canada, the LGBTQ+ population was estimated to have reached 1 million.
Surveys show that individuals who are more educated, support left-wing ideologies, and are not very religious are generally more accepting of homosexuality.
India and South Africa have made the most progress when it comes to an increased acceptance of homosexuality.

How Can Employers Support LGBTQ Employees At Work?

In 2020, 206 large corporations signed a petition backing the US Supreme Court’s decision to protect LGBTQ+ people from workplace discrimination.
More than 95% of Fortune 500 companies have implemented non-discrimination policies that include gender and sexual orientation.
71% of Fortune 500 companies now offer transgender-inclusive health benefits.

What Are The Challenges Faced By LGBTQ+ In The Workplace?

However, 21% of LGBTQ+ adults say they’ve been treated unjustly by an employer.
LGBTQ+ women are less represented than women in America’s top companies.
There are only four open LGBTQ+ CEOs in America.
There are no open LGBTQ+ transgender CEOs in the United States.
LGBTQ+ women can be found in only 2.3% of all entry-level jobs.
LGBTQ+ women make up no more than 1.6% of all managerial positions.
LGBTQ+ women of color in the workplace are more likely to experience “onlyness” —a feeling characterized by being the only person on a team or in the workplace with their gender or sexual identity.
15% of LGBTQ+ women say their sexual identity will harm their career.
30% of LGBTQ+ men feel their sexuality will harm their job.

What Are The Problems Faced By LGBTQ+ Community In Society?

It’s safe to say that society has come a long way in accepting people for who they are, regardless of race, gender, or sexuality.

However, there’s still a lot of discrimination and persecution of non-cisgender people that goes on in the world.

4 of 10 LGBTQ+ adults say they’ve been discriminated against by a friend or family member because of their gender or sexual identity.
LGBTQ+ females are twice as likely than straight women or male LGBTQ+ members to “play along” when they hear sexual discussions or jokes about non-cisgender identities in the workplace.
50% of LGBTQ+ women hear their coworkers make jokes or comments about their identity.
75% of young LGBTQ+ members say they’ve experienced discrimination at least once.
58% of LGBTQ+ adults have been laughed at or have been the target of slurs.
1 in 2 LGBTQ+ youth says they’ve experienced discrimination within the last year.
13% of LGBTQ+ youth have been sent to conversion therapy.
83% of those subjected to conversion therapy say it happened before 18.
54% of American LGBTQ+ members have hidden a relationship for fear of being discriminated against by family, friends, or peers.
46% of non-white transgender people say they haven’t voted in the past because their ID showed the wrong name, gender, or photo.
30% of LGBTQ+ adults say they’ve been physically threatened or attacked based on gender.
In 2020, 44 transgender people were killed in the United States.
In the first five months of 2021, 27 non-cisgender people were killed in the US.
There are 71 countries where identifying or engaging in homosexuality is considered a crime punishable by law.
Most countries where homosexuality is illegal are in the Middle East, Asia, and Africa.
In 11 countries, the death penalty is still imposed for individuals accused of same-sex sexual activity.
In the Balkans and parts of Eastern Europe, nearly 70% of LGBTQ+ individuals are never open about their orientation or sexuality due to fear of discrimination.

LGBTQ+ Suicide And Attempted Suicide Rates

1 out of 8 LGBTQ+ people between 18 and 24 have attempted suicide.
Nearly half of all transgender people have contemplated suicide.
45% of young LGBTQ+ members have considered committing suicide within the past year.
14% of LGBTQ+ youth have attempted suicide within the past year.
LGBTQ+ youths with family support are 50% less likely to attempt suicide.
LGBTQ+ youths who attend schools that are friendly to LGBTQ+ have lower rates of attempted suicide.
60% of LGBTQ+ youths who sought medical care for their mental health were unable to find it.
59% of transgender males contemplated suicide within the past year.
48% of transgender females contemplated suicide within the past year.
21% of pansexuals have attempted suicide within the past year.

Do Religions Accept The LGBTQ+ Community?

29% of LGBTQ+ adults say they’ve felt unwelcome in a place of worship.
84% of LGBTQ+ adults say the Muslim religion is unfriendly toward them.
83% of LGBTQ+ adults say the Mormon faith is unfriendly toward them.
79% of LGBTQ+ adults say the Catholic religion is unfriendly toward them.
73% of LGBTQ+ adults say evangelical churches are unfriendly toward them.
Less than 50% of LGBTQ+ adults say the Jewish or Protestant religions are unfriendly towards them.
1 in 10 LGBTQ+ adults says the Jewish or Protestant faiths are friendly toward them.
LGBTQ+ adults tend to be less religious than the general public.
48% of LGBTQ+ adults say they have no religious affiliations whatsoever.

How Many People Of Color Are LGBTQ+?

17% of African-American LGBTQ+ youths say they’ve been physically threatened or injured because of their gender identity.
African-American youth who have family support have lower attempted suicide rates.
76% of Indigenous LGBTQ+ youth have experienced discrimination due to gender or sexual identity.

How Do LGBTQ+ Have Children?

Can two females have a baby? Can two men have a baby?

They say that having children is one of the greatest joys in life.

Therefore, it shouldn’t be surprising to learn that gay, lesbian, and LGBTQ people everywhere want children just like anyone who identifies as straight.

20% of same-sex couples who share a household have at least one child.
12.1% of unmarried same-sex couples have children.
Lesbian and bisexual women are more likely than LGBTQ+ men to have or want to have children.
56% of adult LGBTQ+ members say they’ve told their mother about their gender or sexual orientation.
Only 39% of adult LGBTQ+ members say they’ve told their father.
The median age for believing or feeling like they were not straight or cisgender is 12.
By 17, most gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender people know they are not straight or cisgender.
The median age of those who share their gender or sexual orientation with a family member or close friend is 20.
Gay men tend to come out to family and friends earlier than bisexuals and lesbians.
20% of adult LGBTQ+ respondents say they’ve been hit, slapped, kicked, or physically assaulted by a partner.
75% of LGBTQ+ who have experienced domestic abuse did not report the incident to the police.

Can Same-Sex Couples Get Married?

Although same-sex marriage is now widely accepted and legal in most places, there are still many places in the world where it’s illegal.

Fortunately, in 2015, the US Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage in all fifty US states.

However, same-sex marriage hasn’t always been accepted.

In 2003, researchers estimated that only 32% of the general public favored same-sex marriage.
More recently, more than 50% of the general public is in favor of same-sex marriage.
However, this is still far below the 93% of adult LGBTQ+ members who favor same-sex marriage.
39% of LGBTQ+ members say that the issue of same-sex marriage has drawn attention away from problems that are more important for the community.
However, 58% say same-sex marriage should be a priority, even though it may take attention away from other issues.
Only 16% of LGBTQ+ adults are married, compared to roughly 50% of the general population.
66% of lesbians are in a committed relationship, compared to only 40% of gay men.
Bisexual women are more likely to be in a relationship than bisexual men (68% vs. 40%)

Sources

Lgbtq+ Statistics [2023 Data] Facts, Discrimination & More

LGBTQ+ Key Statistics