![Gallup reports the percentage of U.S. adults who self-identify as LGBTQ has doubled from 3.5% in 2012 to a new high of 7.1% in 2021.](https://i0.wp.com/instinctmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Depositphotos_130696480_xl-2015-640-young-gays.jpg?resize=900%2C471&quality=100&strip=all&ssl=1)
Gallup reports the percentage of U.S. adults who self-identify as LGBTQ has doubled from 3.5% in 2012 to a new high of 7.1% in 2021.
Since 2012, Gallup routinely asks Americans how they personally identify in regard to sexual orientation and/or gender identity as part of the demographic information it collects on all U.S. telephone surveys.
![](https://i0.wp.com/therandyreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/riseInLGBTQ.gif?resize=640%2C360&quality=100&strip=all&ssl=1)
That same report included that 86.3% say they are straight or heterosexual, and 6.6% didn’t offer a response. These figures are based on aggregated data made up of interviews with more than 12,000 U.S. adults in 2021.
Gallup attributes much of the increase in self-identifying LGBTQ adults to Generation Z (born 1997-2003) respondents. In 2017, when Gen Zers were just coming to adulthood, 10.5% identified as LGBTQ, today that figure has doubled to nearly 21%.
Related: 1 in 6 Gen Z Adults Identify As LGBTQ
The number of Millennials (born 1981-1996) who identify as queer rose from 7.8% in 2017 to 10.5% inĀ 2021.
Meanwhile, Generation X (born 1965-1980) and Baby boomers (born 1946-1964) have remained pretty steady (and at much lower numbers) at 4.2% and 2.6% respectively.
Researchers believe the percentage of LGBTQ Americans will rise at an increasing rate as more Gen Zers become adults replacing older generations who generally identify as heterosexual and cisgender.
![](https://i0.wp.com/therandyreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/breakdownbygeneration.gif?resize=640%2C400&quality=100&strip=all&ssl=1)
Bisexuals make up the most common LGBTQ identity at almost 57%, which accounts for about 4% of the entire U.S. population. Gays account for 20.7% of the queer demo and 13.9% raise their hands as lesbian. Ten percent of LGBTQs identify as transgender.
Gallup sums up its findings noting that the percentage of Americans identifying as LGBTQ is growing at a faster pace than in previous years in part because more of Gen Z is reaching adulthood.
Gallup credits this with the increasing acceptance of LGBTQ people as well as passage of legal protections against discrimination.
(source: Gallup)
I knew there seemed to be more gay guys around everywhere I go (I travel for a living)