Any way to find the actual percentage of the LGBTQIA population?

[Pantherrrr]

I searched up the population of people in the US that identify as LGBTQIA and I was shocked to see the percentage is 5. Now I'm not sure if it's the petty in me that's making me think otherwise but I feel the LGBT population is way larger than this. There may be a lot of people who have feelings for the same sex or have thoughts but don't identify themselves with a label. Is there anyway to get a clear or close percentage of the people who are LGBTQIA? If not, what percentage do you guys think it is? I honestly think it's around 25 percent.

 

[palakaorion]

Given that this is a sex-positive forum, and the membership here can't even agree on what constitutes a definition of straight/gay/bi/trans/queer/inter/asexual, I don't have much hope that the world at large can agree.

And even if the world could agree on definition, how do you propose the enumeration should proceed?

 

[Ja Luca]

i heard its 1 in 18 people

 

[marriedasian]

There are many credible sources that you can look up. I would say that 7% is a safe medium number to go with. As much as I would like to think that there are more, I would say that this demographic is in the mass-minority compared to the entire mass population.

I think the majority population is still very straight hetero people.

 

[P Dubble]

On this site I would say 95% gay.

 

[deleted1074483]

The national statistics come from census taken, in the case of the UK, every 10 years - the last census in the UK a couple of years ago did include a much broader spectrum of identities to choose from - however, that still takes someone to complete it honestly. And given the general mistrust of governments, data collection etc there are a lot of people who will either put 'prefer not to answer' or just put 'straight' for ease/the above reasons.

thats why national statistics are not a good indicator at all.

you can also be swayed by your thinking dependent upon whether you live in a large cosmopolitan city or a small village - i've lived in London and Brighton and whilst large 'scenes' they are still relatively small - i live in a more rural area now and its literally spot the gay(lgbtqia+).

Add to that not every lgbtqia person is 'out' or 'loud' about who they are and keep it to themselves, are 'straight presenting' or just plain 'hiding' its almost impossible to say with any authority what the %s are.

That said i've seen sample surveys that suggest in the UK at least a 5-7% population.

 

[lapdog2001]

Long ago, some used the phrase "one in ten" but I thought it was high. The 21st century has definitely been more open and accepting, and I have gay, lesbian, bi, and trans people within my circle of friends, family, co-workers, and acquaintances, but I'd still say the number is probably closer to 5-7%.
Any of the research based statistics I've seen online put the number between 5-7%.

 

[halcyondays]

Lab studies beginning in the late 1980s show that 90-92% of adults have some physiological sexual response to both sexes based on visual stimulation only. Those numbers continue to hold today.

Only about 8-10% have zero physiological sexual response to either the same sex or opposite sex based on visual stimulation only. This means that about 4-5% are 100% gay and 4-5% are 100% straight. Split those further between males and females of our species.

How that translates into how people identify sexually and with whom they hook up are different--and much more complex--stories.

As for visual stimulation only remember that while dogs & cats (and many other animals) sniff each other's butts or sniff out pheromones on the wind humans have lost most of this olfactory input and run eyes over each other instead.

 

[Sagittarius84]

I think physiological response is an incomplete, and potentially dangerous way to translate sexual proclivity, desire, or orientation. I don't remember the exact statistic, but I remember some study implying a disproportionately large segment of rape victims(no matter the gender of victim or perpetrator) having what could be perceived as sexually positive physiological responses to their violation, which in turn either emboldens or positively reinforces the behavior of the rapist, or motivates the victim to not report or even maintain contact with the assailant, if not both.
I think ones position on the sexual spectrum is more determined by what type of sexual relationship they can healthily reconcile within their lives, then by merely what their bodies will sexually react to, a.k.a the "Joe Exotic" approach.

 

[HorseHung40's]

Some may disagree with me, but I put this number at 10-15% of the population. This accounts for self-identification and those that claim to be straight, but, hunt for it on the side. Trust me... there are a lot more of the latter group than many would realize.

Did you know that Edward VIII of the UK was a closet queen. He wanted his strapping male friends to call him "HER MAJESTY". Wallis Simpson got her share of "glazed donut face" when she was off with her female friends. Why doesn't Hello or Majesty or even People run a feature on that?

It would make a wonderful follow-up to a piece on closeted NHL stars!

 

[halcyondays]

I think ones position on the sexual spectrum is more determined by what type of sexual relationship they can healthily reconcile within their lives, then by merely what their bodies will sexually react to, a.k.a the "Joe Exotic" approach.

I agree. How one chooses to identify is more than being attracted just on visual appeal. For example human females as a population are most attracted to males with high social status. Human males as a population are most attracted to females with youthful looks (which is the goal of the beauty industry btw). Both are instinctual behaviors. The adaptive advantage driving these instincts in our species over the last 300 millennia is reproductive success.

Then there's the issue of whether individuals actually "choose" their sexual identity. Cultural (religious) indoctrination represses all sexuality outside of heterosexual marriage. This skews choice dramatically.

Remember that indoctrination = brainwashing.

Lab study of sexual attraction based only on visual stimulation cuts through all cultural brainwashing. Eyes connect directly to the brain. Brain knows what it likes when it sees it.

 

[heinz.friedrich]

Then there's the issue of whether individuals actually "choose" their sexual identity. Cultural (religious) indoctrination represses all sexuality outside of heterosexual marriage. This skews choice dramatically.

Remember that indoctrination = brainwashing.

Lab study of sexual attraction based only on visual stimulation cuts through all cultural brainwashing. Eyes connect directly to the brain. Brain knows what it likes when it sees it.

IN my opinion, the politicians that say homosexuality can be indoctrinated or advertised have homosexual attraction, but also heterosexual attraction. Because I never understood, why they came to this conclusion because it does not make any sense for me.

Putin is one of them, in my opinion. Here is somebody from Orbans party (the autocrat of Hungary). He said he was stressed and that is why he had homosexual sex. This fact came out, because he did not follow the Covid restrictions:

Member of Hungary's anti-LGBTQ government resigns after fleeing alleged gay sex party

I searched up the population of people in the US that identify as LGBTQIA and I was shocked to see the percentage is 5. Now I'm not sure if it's the petty in me that's making me think otherwise but I feel the LGBT population is way larger than this. There may be a lot of people who have feelings for the same sex or have thoughts but don't identify themselves with a label. Is there anyway to get a clear or close percentage of the people who are LGBTQIA? If not, what percentage do you guys think it is? I honestly think it's around 25 percent.

A lot of them claim they are genderfluid or something that has nothing to do with sexual attraction. So that is not really an indicator.

 

[deleted16577781]

IN my opinion, the politicians that say homosexuality can be indoctrinated or advertised have homosexual attraction, but also heterosexual attraction. Because I never understood, why they came to this conclusion because it does not make any sense for me.

Putin is one of them, in my opinion. Here is somebody from Orbans party (the autocrat of Hungary). He said he was stressed and that is why he had homosexual sex. This fact came out, because he did not follow the Covid restrictions:

Member of Hungary's anti-LGBTQ government resigns after fleeing alleged gay sex party


A lot of them claim they are genderfluid or something that has nothing to do with sexual attraction. So that is not really an indicator.

That case is interesting I find. Caught naked leaving a building where a sex party had taken place. But he was condemning homosexuality in his own country. That is double standards.
similar with a right wing lesbian in Germany who didn't agree with same sex marriage and yet was married to a Swiss woman and they had children between them but when asked said something like : it is no one's business what I do in my private life!! Yes it is, especially when you are making laws that affect citizens!!!!

 

[heinz.friedrich]

That case is interesting I find. Caught naked leaving a building where a sex party had taken place. But he was condemning homosexuality in his own country. That is double standards.
similar with a right wing lesbian in Germany who didn't agree with same sex marriage and yet was married to a Swiss woman and they had children between them but when asked said something like : it is no one's business what I do in my private life!! Yes it is, especially when you are making laws that affect citizens!!!!

Well she is not against homosexuality. But the politicians usually support the stuff that gets them the most votes and they are not supporting, what they think is right.

I think there should be more studies. The conversion therapies failed but specific countries claim that you can advertise homosexuality. Why dont they prove or disprove it or make a couple of studies?

I do not think that it is necessarily impossible to change it, but I think this is not how they think it is like praying or not eating meat of pigs. Praying to God is not successful because it is not a sin in the eyes of God, in my opinion.

The religious books like the bible and quran and the books of other religions are also flawed and manipulated. That is what politicians usually do not understand or realize. So you cannot base your laws on those books. Some countries have maybe other reason (like China) but a lot of the countries have these laws because of religious influence.

 

[AllDixNeedLuv69]

considering the number that remain in the closet there will never be an actual number taken of the gay and lesbian population---i know a couple guys that are out of the closet toward me but remain in the closet for everyone else because they arent ready for the world to know ---and where i know so man straight guys n girls--i know many guys that are gay or bisexual--so until the world can be safe for all to come out and be safe--the actual numbers wont be true numbers

 

[Brodie888]

I think the big hidden number is the number of Bs out there. Most who are predominantly straight won't admit on a census that they have dabbled in gay sex or jerk off to gay porn.

 

[milkywey]

Seeing the way the Acronym has and is expanding, it’s more than fair to say it is officially at 100%

 

[Sagittarius84]

I think the big hidden number is the number of Bs out there. Most who are predominantly straight won't admit on a census that they have dabbled in gay sex or jerk off to gay porn.

Is that really a reliable indication of bisexuality though? We can look at women and easily how traumatic experiences with men motivate them to pursue relationships with women in phases, until priorities like children and marriage come to the forefront. I think what is really not admitted to is just how much sexual trauma men endure from other males, and when combined with bad or no luck with women, how many men will attempt to reconcile the confusing feelings or responses dredged up from their pasts by leaning into those behaviors; a veiled attempt to reclaim their agency in a way.
I really wonder what percentage of men whom identify as gay or bisexual have male induced sexual trauma in comparison to men whom identify as straight.

 

[Brodie888]

Is that really a reliable indication of bisexuality though? We can look at women and easily how traumatic experiences with men motivate them to pursue relationships with women in phases, until priorities like children and marriage come to the forefront. I think what is really not admitted to is just how much sexual trauma men endure from other males, and when combined with bad or no luck with women, how many men will attempt to reconcile the confusing feelings or responses dredged up from their pasts by leaning into those behaviors; a veiled attempt to reclaim their agency in a way.
I really wonder what percentage of men whom identify as gay or bisexual have male induced sexual trauma in comparison to men whom identify as straight.

You're suggesting in a round about way that sexuality can be conditioned which has been debunked.

If you are 100% straight you can't be made to be attracted to men or vice versa.

Let's say someone is 20% gay an 80% heterosexual. Let's say he is hated by all the women but a man is interested in him. Most likely he will express his homosexual side. I agree with that. But in terms of his sexually, he is still bisexual with greater attraction to women.

 

[Sagittarius84]

You're suggesting in a round about way that sexuality can be conditioned which has been debunked.

Sexual behaviors, not sexuality. While I agree what a person finds inherently attractive cannot be conditioned, I do believe it far too easy to create constructs and situations for people to utilize sexual behaviors as a sort of coping mechanism, especially if whatever sexual trauma was incurred also generated what could be translated as a positive physiological response.
As I said earlier, where I think the difference lies is in sustainability, and based upon the stats of gay and bisexual men whom suffer from depression, drug use,and suicidal thoughts/tendencies, I gather an implication that a lot of the homoerotic behaviors they engage upon are not healthily sustainable, and therefore not really indicative of what their sexuality is.