A recent survey conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) revealed that more than one in four (28%) Americans aged between 18 and 25, belonging to Generation Z (Gen Z), identify as LGBTQ. This figure represents the highest percentage recorded for any generation by the polling organization, which conducted the research in August and September with a sample size of over 6,600 individuals. Nearly half of non-heterosexual Gen Z individuals identified as bisexual, constituting 15% of the entire Gen Z adult population. The percentages for gay and lesbian individuals (5% of the total) were outnumbered by those identifying as "other" (8%).
Reported by RT, Gen Z is significantly more likely to identify as something other than heterosexual compared to previous generations. Among millennials, 16% claimed to be part of the LGBTQ spectrum, with the numbers for gay and lesbian individuals almost matching those of bisexual individuals (5% vs. 7%).
Among Generation X, the number of gay and lesbian individuals actually surpassed the number of bisexual individuals (3% vs. 2%) within the 7% of the total age group identifying as non-heterosexual. Even fewer individuals from the Baby Boomer generation (4%) and the Silent Generation (3%) identified as LGBTQ. Gen Z also exhibits greater racial diversity compared to other surveyed age groups. Only 52% of adults—and a mere 50% of teenagers—described themselves as white, compared to the 62% white population in the United States. Additionally, they tend to lean away from identifying politically as Republicans and are more likely to identify as liberal.
The survey also indicated that there are more LGBTQ individuals in Gen Z than there are Gen Z Republicans, constituting 27% of the total population compared to 21% within the age group. PRRI did not speculate on the potential causes of this trend, which accompanies the liberalization of attitudes towards homosexuality in American society. Despite these changes, 20% of Gen Z adults reported experiencing hatred or discrimination due to their sexual orientation.
Homosexual acts are no longer a federal crime in the U.S. following the Supreme Court's decision in Lawrence v. Texas in 2003, although many states have since repealed their current sodomy laws. The 2014 Obergefell v. Hodges decision legalized same-sex marriage, which had been illegal throughout the U.S. since 1996. Since then, each state is required to issue licenses and perform such marriages, and same-sex couples are allowed to adopt children. Only 35 UN member states allow same-sex marriage. While the PRRI figures align with previous surveys indicating that Gen Z is the most LGBTQ and liberal generation coming of age in the U.S., the percentage identifying as non-heterosexual is significantly higher in this week's findings compared to a similar Gallup poll conducted last year. This year's survey found that 19.7% of Gen Z adults aged 18 to 26 identified as LGBTQ, compared to 7.2% of the general population.