Gallup has unveiled the largest study ever of American’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender population, and the pollster found that 3.4 percent of the 121,000 adults surveyed identify as part of the LGBT community.
Respondents ages 18 to 29 are three times more likely to identify as LGBT than adults ages 65 and older, a reflection of growing acceptance in younger generations. Perhaps more surprising, LGBT identity is highest among nonwhite, less educated people: one-third of LGBT adults are nonwhite, and more than 5 percent of those with annual incomes of less than $24,000 identify as LGBT, as opposed to 2.8 percent who earn more than $60,000.
The lead author of the study noted how media stereotypes aren’t consistent with the findings: “If you spend a lot of time watching network television, you would think most LGBT people are rich white men who live in big cities,” he wrote. “These data suggest the LGBT community reflects more of the diversity in the U.S. population.”
