This just in: Millennials are some of the queerest of the queer. A new survey finds 20% of Americans between the ages of 18 and 34 these days identify as LGBTQ. 20%! That’s, like, one in five.
Over 2,000 people across the country participated in the online survey, which was conducted by GLAAD in conjunction with Harris Poll. The survey found that 18-34 year olds are significantly more likely to identify with a label that falls outside of the usual heteronormative majority.
Here’s a roundup of the findings:
- Millennials are significantly more likely to identify as LGBTQ than older generations. Specifically, they’re more than twice as likely (20% vs. 7%) to identify as LGBTQ than the Boomer generation, and two-thirds (20% vs. 12%) more likely to identify as LGBTQ than Generation X.
- Millennials are twice as likely as Gen Xers (12% vs 6%) to identify as transgender or gender non-conforming.
- While older generations of LGBTQ people tend to use the words like “gay” and “lesbian” and/or “man” and “woman” to describe their sexual orientations and gender identities, Millennials are more likely to identify in terminology that falls outside those traditional binaries.
GLAAD’s Sarah Kate Ellis says that, despite our current political climate, the study “shows a remarkable new era of understanding and acceptance among young people, an inspiring indication of the future.”
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“Though laws can be unwritten, hearts and minds in America have been changed for the better,” Ellis says, “and that is a reality less easily unraveled.”
This new survey is just the latest indicator of a queering of America, and the world. Last year, a report by the trend forecasting agency J. Walter Thompson Innovation found that a little less than half (48%) of Generation Z kids (ages 13 to 20) identified as exclusively heterosexual. And U.K. study from the year before found 29% of young British people identified as bi.
Related: 48% of Millennials say they prefer to have sex before the first date, study finds
jel1955
The percentages od LGBTQ identification reported here are extremely large when compared to previously reported statistics on can find by completing a casual INet search. I don’t mean to imply that these statistics are inaccurate, but I do intend to ask readers to place these statistics in historical context.
NOUHAVENT
I think millennials are more likely to identify with made up sexuslities. Like demisexual or arosexual or whatever they think is cool these days. So no they are a sexual minority just kids looking to feel special.
ErikO
That’s very true. They will claim or do anything to avoid actually coming out as bisexual or gay, if they are actually bisexual or gay. I have met people who claimed to be “pansexual”, and even “queer” but really they were just heterosexual completely and they were not trans at all.
Jack Meoff
What are the odds that at least half of these millennials will change their answer once they grow up and get married and start having kids. At the moment it’s a hot topic issue and it’s cool to identify outside of heteronormativity (especially as trans or non binary).
natekerchel
I agree. Go back and ask the same group in ten years time – I think the result will be different. The group surveyed is the one most likely to ‘defy’ societal norms. There is an element of wanting to be seen as ‘cool’ and rebellious. Of course, that is not to say that people lied about things – only that it is possible they have not yet settled into their ‘place’. 20% seems like an abnormally large number.
GayEGO
Having been out since 1960, I have watched the U.S. learn and evolve to accept us as part of society. Yes, there are some, mostly religious bigots, who drag their heels, but since science no longer consider as mentally deranged deviates, people are learning that we live like they do and are not a threat to them. All in all, our gayness is no longer news and there are more interesting venues to explore.
NateOcean
April’s Fool!
(right?)
Donston
Yes, most of this is about being “different”. A smaller percentage of people want to be straight. But people still sure as hell don’t want to be gay. Teens and people in their early 20’s are inherently narcissistic, much more likely to experiment, have a much more hyper sexuality, and tend to be obsessed with feeling like an individual. For at least 50% of these people they’ll be identifying as something else in 10 years. Also, these studies and polls are almost always represent an extremely small portion of population and are mostly done in big cities.
We should be focused on honesty and self-truth rather than “being different than the status quo”.
GayEGO
The Republic of Ireland vote for Marriage Equality last year and Marriage Equality has been the law of the land in the U.S. since 2015. Of course there are the minorities that oppose us as they are being dragged, kicking and screaming because they refuse to learn and evolve, to equality.
Neonegro
2000 people across the country is not a good representation.
When you add location and other factors, what you have is Fake Data.
gayjim1969
Actually, that is a larger number than most polls taken during national elections, as polls go it is quite large; they don’t poll four or five thousand people. I don’t understand what you’re saying about factoring in “location;” it’s a national survey. You’re very quick to dismiss as fake data it without having any information regarding the study’s design. What are your research qualifications?
Neonegro
gayjim1969,
Calling something a National survey does not make it so automatically unless the methodology is clearly stated.
Did they cover every county, only large cities, rural areas, cities 100,000 population and above, ……..
In addition, you need to know the location of those who responded and what percentage responded.
Without all the pertinent information, common sense must rule.
KaiserVonScheiss
“Gender non-conforming” or “non-binary” is just a way for people to feel special. That’s it. They aren’t actually trans.
Donston
I hate that I think these like this, but I’m really resenting being grouped in with narcissists (I don’t have a sexuality or gender), fake bisexuals, gay men who want to do anything else but embrace being gay and identify as such, sluts who’ll fvck anything and kids who just want to feel “different than”.
And yes, this reads as another “study” that’s not any kind of study at all but just more randomness for agenda pushing.
KaiserVonScheiss
@Donston
I, too, am technically a millennial.
There are problems with ‘studies’ that claim millennials are all self-centred twats. Many definitely are though.
But there are very few who talk about how baby boomers and gen X-ers told everyone to go to college and everything would be great. Now a bunch of people have worthless degrees and great jobs just aren’t there.
Donston
I don’t know if that was meant to be shade towards me, but I’m 28.
KaiserVonScheiss
@Donston
No, actually. I’m 31.
Donston
OK, cool.
The reality is is that every “generation” has its flaws and is obsessed with distinguishing itself from what came before. And it’s also true that sexual behavior, sexual identity and sense of gender have, for hundreds of years, been used a way for people to indulge their narcissism, perversion, idealism, egomania and self-denial, which is partly why certain stereotypes persists, why there’s still so much lying about sexual orientation and why confusion and internalized homophobia are both on the upswing.
And as has already been mentioned this “study” is incredibly flawed and doesn’t reveal much of anything.
liam.darcy
When did gay people get to be such up tight dinguses? (Oh wait it’s just the Queerty comment section.) How people see themselves and how they bump uglies is their business, and who the crap are you to judge.
DMRX
It must be noted that, given the numbers in the survey, we’re talking about ONLY 49 people out of a survey of ONLY 2,037. This is not good science.
Donston
Looking at things like percentages instead of actual numbers is a classic way for people to push their agenda any way they can.
Aranos
It’s funny to see how selfdestructive gays are in the comment section here. It’s just as if, even in the light of clear evidence stating otherwise, they were still begging “Oh please let us be a small, insignificant minority so every homophobe can deny us our rigth to be and say wer’e deviant sickos”.
The truth ist, those studies (and it’s not just this one here which some commentators deemed irrelevant) confirm :
a) The kinsey scale
b) Human history. So many civilisations were/are mainly bisexual. Our christian western civilization which has exported its homophobia all over the world is just one heteronormative exception in human history. Just read books and wake up, for Christ’s sake!
c) Our next relatives: Apes. Theses guys are not as blocked and inhibited as we are and a good indicator of true human sexuality.
Sexuality is not just for reproduction but serves as a tool for social cohesion in all animals relying on this very cohesion to survive, i.e. Mankind. Which is precisely why alternating sexualities have been removed from the list of diseases by the experts of the World Health Organisation long, long ago.
I am sure theses numbers will grow as these polls are just that: polls (most of them not even anonymous), which explains why the percentage of people admitting to be LGBT where so low up until now. It’s just because people lied in the repressive environment of the past.
Donston
The Kinsey Scale has proven to be nonsense, particularly with men. Countless (real) studies and experiments since then have proven such. But people keep bringing it up at if it has any relevance today.
The problem is as many people may want to be flexible/fluid/demi etc only a very small percent of those people actually date different genders, particularly men. There are tons of people who are willing to admit to being having different experiences and being “open-minded”, very few of these people actually have real and substantial sexual attraction to men and women (at least when it comes to men). And how many of these people will actually say that they feel like a different gender than they are?
At the end of the day, as much as Boy George came off as a bitter old queen, he’s right in that most men are gay or straight or lean greatly towards one way or the other no matter their behavior, fetishes or identity.
No matter how many identities people try to come up with that won’t change. Instead of more identities, we just need people to be honest about exactly who they are.
The Romans were not pro bisexuality and gayness unless it was with a young and effeminized man. Even then, actual gay relationships were frowned upon. That was proven to be a myth some time ago.
I’m 28, btw. So, I fit into the scheme of this random and limited poll. And I see these types of people everyday. Most of their identities and behavior is not driven by attraction or feeling like they are a different gender. Most of it is driven by narcissism, ego, wanting to be “different”, not wanting to be gay, fetish, perversion, etc.
These are realities that make a lot of people uncomfortable and upset. But they’re realities nonetheless.
ErikO
Donston is your perfect example of a hypocritical gay man that is a biphobic bigot who does not know anything about human sexuality. Kinsey never claimed that most people are bisexual, he just showed the varieties of bisexuality with the Kinsey scale, and then said how most people are heterosexual but there are people who are gay/lesbian/homosexual as well.
PretenderNX01
I think a lot more young people are willing to admit it wasn’t just “experimenting” and are more open about it being a part of their life.
Donston
My whole thing has always been identify as you want and have sex with whoever you want and date whoever you want. But unless you have real sexual attraction to multiple genders (not just the ability to sexually engage with multiple genders) or actually see yourself as the opposing gender then it’s likely that your identity is driven by narcissism, ego, fetish, internalized homophobia/obsession with hetero-normalcy, convenience, nymphomania or wanting to be “different”. These are things that LGBT identifying people don’t want to confront, because it’s not a good look from a political standpoint.
Frankly, young homos in particular have gotten so obsessed with being accepted and seen as normal that people lying about who they are, closet cases, self-rejection, narcissistic and fetish driven behavior, extreme promiscuity and casual homophobia have all become more acceptable. While self-acceptance, mental health and honesty have become less of a priority. From a straight, cis-gender standpoint it’s about not wanting to be like everyone else. From a homo or trans standpoint it’s about desperate trying to be like everyone else. And this tug-of-war just leads to more lying, confusion and self-hate. And that’s why idiotic non-scientific “studies” and half-arsed, limited polls that don’t reveal much of anything have become so popular.
ErikO
Donston is your perfect example of a hypocritical gay man that is a biphobic bigot who does not know anything about human sexuality. Kinsey never claimed that most people are bisexual, he just showed the varieties of bisexuality with the Kinsey scale, and then said how most people are heterosexual but there are people who are gay/lesbian/homosexual as well.
Donston
Actually, I know quite a bit about sexuality. I studied it in college. And I have friends and family who identity as many different things, and I have had plenty of in depth conversations with them. You could never claim that I’m uneducated on this topic.
No one is “bi-phobic”. I’m perfectly accepting of people who identity as bi who says they have sexual attraction to multiple genders and are open to real relationships with multiple genders. Unfortunately, that’s not how most bisexual-identifying men describe themselves. I’m just about honesty, and people can’t take that. We still have a long ways to go for people being truly honest about exactly who they are and their motivations, and that includes homo identifying people.
The Kinsey scale is defunct for a few reasons. First, it doesn’t involve trans or “non-binary” people. Secondly, there have been several real and thorough studies about make bisexuality post Kinsey, and the results for each have been that the vast majority of men who identify as bisexual either were entirely attracted to men or women or their attractions leaned greatly in one direction or another. Only a small percentage of men who identify as it are doing the same. However, a decent percentage of women who identify as bi were actually revealing who they are. The results were what they were. But those types of results don’t get much exposure in places like this since it doesn’t look good for agenda. Visit any bi/fluid/queer/etc forum and you’d see the multitude of different reasons people do what they do and identify as what they identify as.
Sexual attraction, behavior, identity and sense of gender can indeed be extremely complex. But we’re still scared of exploring all the aspects of it because the results wouldn’t be a good look for our “community”. So, instead we keep coming up with more vague labels and empty/non-scientific polls that really isn’t helping anyone instead of investigating and educating ourselves more about the nature of sexuality and how much psychology and sociology affect what people do.
Also, there was no need to post that twice.
Donston
Furthermore, Kinsey chose a random selection of willing participants instead of focusing on people who claimed to have specific attractions and indulge certain behaviors. And Kinsey’s way of testing sexuality is incredibly dated compared to today’s techniques. Modern studies continue to contradict and flesh out Kinsey’s studies. Yet, people harken back to 60 years ago because of the easy simplicity that it offers. In fact, in a study from several years ago 100 bi identifying men were tested for same-sex attractions. 70 were homo. 30 were hetero. None of them were revealed to have real sexual attraction to both men and women. But I guess that’s where the fluid debate comes into play.
I don’t see how anything I’ve said is hypocritical. I’ve called out every type of person on this site. If anything, I’m “human-phobic”. I never said bisexuality isn’t real. I never claimed that a great percentage of bi identifying people are bad. I have only re-iterated that there are many different things that define someone’s sexual behavior and identity beyond attraction and until we start to explore those many things confusion and frustration will continue. I’ve also pointed out that LGBTQ etc identifying people need to get a greater understanding of the nuances of sexuality from a psychological standpoint to better understand themselves and the people around them.
I apologize for not being a simple Polly-Anna with blinders on like so many others and actually recognizing a lot of in-house issues.