Record 7 percent in US now identify as LGBT: Gallup

The percentage of U.S. adults who identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or another sexuality other than heterosexual has increased to a new high of 7.1 percent, a recent Gallup poll found.

The poll also found that 86.3 percent of respondents said they are straight or heterosexual, while 6.6 percent did not offer their orientation. 

The newest measurement of LGBT identification is double the percentage it was in 2012, when Gallup first measured it. The percentage has been steadily increasing since the poll began, the survey giant noted. 

Gallup added that the increase in individuals who identify with the LGBT community primarily reflects the higher prevalence of such identities among younger Americans.

Approximately 1 in 5 Generation Z Americans, born between 1997 and 2003, now identify as LGBT, almost double the number of millennials. 

While the percentage of younger Americans who identify as LGBT has been rising, the percentage of traditionalists, baby boomers, and Generation X adults has held steady. 

The most common identification for respondents who identify as LGBT was bisexual, at over 56 percent. More of those respondents in younger generations identify as bisexual, while older generations are about as likely to say they are gay or lesbian as they are to say bisexual, Gallup noted. 

The poll was conducted throughout 2021 and surveyed 12,416 U.S. adults. It has a margin of error of 1 percentage point.