9 Million Americans Identify as Queer

A recent survey by the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law has calculated that about nine million Americans identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered. Figures stand at 3.5% of Americans identifying as queer, with 0.3% of Americans identifying as transgendered. However, more broadly speaking (and in line with the often-quoted “10%” statistic), 8.2% of Americans have participated in same-gender sexual activity, and 11% have expressed a same-sex attraction, even if they have not acted on it.

Also according to the survey, bisexuals outnumber gay and lesbian people, at 1.8% of the population, while exclusively gay and lesbian people make up 1.7%.

The Los Angeles Times reports:

About 9 million people in the United States identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, according to a UCLA study released Thursday.

The estimate, which translates to about 3.5% of adults as LGBT and 0.3% of adults as transgender, was created by the Williams Institute at UCLA’s School of Law and argues that any estimate of the population is difficult because there are insufficient and inconsistent national surveys.

The study culled data and methods from nine surveys conducted over the last seven years and averaged results from five of those surveys to estimate sexual orientation and results from two surveys to estimate the transgender population.

Among other findings: Of the lesbian, gay and bisexual population, bisexuals were a slightly larger group, representing 1.8% of the adult population compared to 1.7% who were lesbian or gay.

It also found an estimated 8.2% of Americans reported participating in same-sex sexual activity; and an estimated 11% held some same-sex sexual attraction, but neither group necessarily identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.

The usually quoted number, 10% overall, comes from the work of the sexologist Alfred Kinsey—who, it should be noted, was commenting on human beings overall, not Americans specifically. However, with 11% expressing same-sex desire, this certainly puts a rest to the conservative backlash against Kinsey’s original figure.