Gen Z is queering things up more than ever!
Recent census data from England and Wales shows that in 2021, 6.9% of 16-24 year-olds identified as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or otherwise not heterosexual — more than double the number of the total population of the area when all demographics are considered.
Additionally, the percentage jumped to 10% when just looking at girls and young women who identify as LGBQ, and approximately 1% of this age group identified as trans or non-binary.
As usual, the exact ages of Gen Z are up for debate, but a rough estimation suggests they would currently fall between the ages of 11 and 27, meaning those surveyed fall well within the bounds, although it does not paint a complete picture of all Gen Zers in the area.
A 2021 Gallup poll conducted in the United States last year showed a similar increase in queer identity among the younger generation, with 21% of 18-24 year-olds identifying as LGBT (note the trans inclusion in this particular poll) compared to 7.1% of the entire U.S. population.
Although people like U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene look at data like this and think it means straight people are going extinct, the significantly more likely scenario is that, despite the challenges and prejudices still facing the LGBTQ+ community even in places like Europe and the U.S., the rise in acceptance and visibility has allowed more young people to explore and embrace their identities.
And of course, as that continues, the cycle will repeat — visibility, acceptance, and the number of people self-identifying as LGBTQ+ growing as the closet so many in previous generations had to live in grows smaller and smaller. You love to see it.
