How many people are LGBT?

Increasing number of population-based surveys in the United States and across the world are including questions that allow for an estimate of the size of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender population. Problems with accuracy are writhed with discrepancy in these surveys. Larger samples, confidentiality and anonymity will increase the likelihood of LGBT respondents to identify themselves--producing more precise estimates. It is also challenging to research and measure the LGBT community because of the lack of consistent questions asked on different surveys. Willingness of respondents to report stigmatizing identities and behaviors also affect the variation among estimates of LGBT population.

In measuring sexual orientation, lesbian, gay and bisexual individuals may be identified strictly based on their self-identity or it may be possible to consider same-sex behavior or sexual attraction. Some surveys also access household relationships and provide a way of identifying those who are in same-sex relationships. Defining the transgender population can be challenging because of the varying forms of gender expression or non-conformity. Self-identity is one way to measure the transgender community. 

Federal data sources designed to provide the American Community Survey do not include direct questions regarding sexual orientation or gender identity. This leaves findings from combined population-based surveys the only current mechanism to produce credible estimates for the size of the LGBT community.

Some of the key findings from this research follows:
An estimated 3.5% of adults in the United States identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual and an estimated 0.3% of adults are transgender. This implies that there are approximately 9 million LGBT Americans.

Among adults who identify as LGBT, bisexuals comprise a slight majority (1.8% compared to 1.7% who identify as lesbian or gay). Women are substantially more likely than men to identify as bisexual. Bisexuals comprise more than half of the lesbian and bisexual population among women and conversely, gay men comprise substantially more than half of gay and bisexual men in many of the surveys.

Estimates of those who report any lifetime same-sex behavior and any same-sex sexual attraction are substantially higher than estimates of those who identify as LGBT. An estimated 19 million Americans (8.2%) report that they have engaged in same-sex sexual behavior and nearly 25.6 million Americans (11%) acknowledge at lease some same-sex sexual attraction. There are also nearly 700,000 transgender individuals in the US. Given these findings, it seems reasonable to assert that approximately 9 million Americans identify as LGBT.

By way of comparison, these analyses suggest that the size of the LGBT community is roughly equivalent to the population of New Jersey. The number of adults who have had same-sex sexual experiences is approximately equal to the population of Florida while those who have some same-sex attraction comprise more individuals than the population of Texas.

Understanding the size of the LGBT population is the first step in promoting public policy as well as research topics. The LGBT community has been vastly understudied. Current surveys are demonstrating the viability of sexual orientation and gender identity at the national, state, and local level. This will greatly raise awareness and better enable an understanding of the LGBT community.