Over 1 in 4 Gen Z Americans adopt ‘queer’ identity

A new survey reveals that 1 in 4 Gen Z Americans identify as LGBTQ, which shatters the percentages of LGBTQ Americans in prior generations.

A report released by the Public Religion Research Institute, or PRRI, shows that 28 percent of Gen Z adults between the ages of 18 and 25 identify as LGBTQ.

This is a vast increase in percentage compared to older generations, with 16 percent of millennials, 7 percent of Generation X, 4 percent of baby boomers, and 4 percent of the silent generation identifying as LGBTQ, the study found.

The report's LGBTQ identity breakdown revealed that 72 percent of Gen Z adults identified as straight, 15 percent as bisexual, 5 percent as homosexual or lesbian, and 8 percent as another identity.

Additionally, researchers discovered that Gen Z adults were less likely to adhere to established religions and are more ethnically and racially diverse than earlier generations. The survey found that adults of both Generation Z and millennials were more likely to identify as LGBTQ than Republican, with 21 percent of Gen Z adults and 21 percent of millennials identifying as Republican.

The survey was conducted between August and September 2023, and included more 6,600 participants.

NBC News pointed out that the results are consistent with those of other major surveys, including Gallup's, which indicate that Generation Z is the most LGBTQ adult generation to date.

Gallup found in its most recent survey, published in February, that 7.2 percent of adults in the United States identify as LGBTQ, with nearly 20 percent of Gen Z (those aged 19 to 26) belonging to this demographic.