For lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgender people, realizing their sexual orientation or gender identity and sharing that data with family and friends is often a gradual process that can unfold over a series of years. This section looks at the process of coming out—when and how it happens, how hard it is, and what bear on information technology has on relationships.

This department also explores the interactions LGBT adults have outside of their circles of family and shut friends—in their communities and workplaces. Some seek out neighborhoods that are predominantly LGBT, but nearly do not. A majority of employed LGBT adults say their workplaces are accepting of people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. Still, virtually one-half say simply a few or none of their co-workers know nigh their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Ultimately, these journeys are personal and difficult to quantify. Survey respondents were invited to elaborate on their experiences, and many of their stories are captured in an interactive feature on the Pew Research Center website.

How Many of the Important People in Your Life Know?

SDT-2013-06-LGBT-3-01The vast majority of LGBT respondents (86%) say they have told ane or more close friends near their sexual orientation or gender identity. And some 54% say all or about of the of import people in their life know that they are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.

There are large differences here across LGB groups. Lesbians and gay men are more than likely than bisexuals to take told at least one shut friend about their sexual orientation (96% of gay men and 94% of lesbians, compared with 79% of bisexuals). And they are much more likely to say that almost of the people who are important to them know about this attribute of their life: 77% of gay men and 71% of lesbians say all or nearly people know, compared with 28% of bisexuals.
Amid bisexuals, there are large differences between men and women in the share who say the people closest to them know that they are bisexual. Roughly nine-in-ten bisexual women (88%) say they have told a close friend about their sexual orientation; only 55% of bisexual men say they take told a shut friend. Similarly, while one-third of bisexual women say about of the important people in their life know they are bisexual, merely 12% of bisexual men say the same. Furthermore, 65% of bisexual men say that only a few or none of the important people in their life know they are bisexual.

Among all LGBT adults, those with a college degree are more likely than those who have not graduated from college to say all or most of the important people in their life know they are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (64% vs. 49%). At that place are no significant differences across age groups. Like shares of immature, center-anile and older LGBT adults say most of the important people in their life are enlightened of their sexual orientation or gender identity. There is an age gap among bisexuals, even so, with bisexuals under the age of 45 much more likely than those ages 45 or older to say about of the important people in their life know that they are bisexual (32% and 18%, respectively).

Growing Up LGBT

SDT-2013-06-LGBT-3-02Lesbian, gay and bisexual survey respondents were asked how old they were when they showtime felt they might be something other than straight or heterosexual.14 The median age across all LGB adults is 12, although at that place are some differences across groups. Gay men study, on boilerplate, thinking around historic period 10 that they might not be straight. For both lesbians and bisexuals, the median age is 13.

Amid gay men, about iv-in-x (38%) say they were younger than 10 when they first felt they were not heterosexual. By comparing 23% of lesbians and 18% of bisexuals say they were younger than 10 when they first started to question their sexuality.

The vast majority of lesbians, gay men and bisexuals say they were in their teens or younger when they first started to experience they might not be straight. Only seven% were in their twenties, and 4% were thirty or older. Gay men are the to the lowest degree likely to report offset having these feelings in their twenties or across: 3% say they were 20 or older, compared with 14% of lesbians and 15% of bisexuals.

Later these initial feelings, it took some fourth dimension for nearly LGBT adults to be sure of their sexual orientation or gender identity.xv Among LGBT adults who say they know for sure that they are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (92%), 17 is the median age at which they say they knew.

Relatively few LGBT adults (five%) say they were sure near their sexual orientation or gender identity before they were age 10. A majority (59%) say they knew between the ages of 10 and 19. One-in-five say they knew for sure they were lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender when they were in their twenties, and 8% say it wasn't until they were xxx or older. Some six% say they nevertheless aren't entirely sure.

Again, gay men reached this milestone, on boilerplate, sooner than lesbians and bisexuals. The median age at which gay men say they were sure they were gay is 15. For lesbians, the median age when they were sure about their sexual orientation was 18, and for bisexuals it was 17.

Telling Friends and Family

SDT-2013-06-LGBT-3-03The side by side step in the procedure for many people is telling a close friend or family member that you are or might be lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. For a small share of respondents in the Pew Inquiry survey, this is a step they accept not still taken and may never take. Some iv% of gay men and 5% of lesbians say the fact that their sexual orientation has not come upward with shut friends or family members. Bisexuals are much more likely to fall into this category—24% say the fact that they are bisexual has non come with friends and family.

Among those who take told a friend or family member near their sexual orientation or gender identity, the median age at which they did this was xx. The median age is slightly lower for gay men (18) than lesbians (21) or bisexuals (20).

SDT-2013-06-LGBT-3-04There are small-scale differences on this measure by age group among gay men and lesbians.16 The median historic period at which gay men and lesbians younger than thirty say they first told a shut friend or family member is 17. Among those ages thirty to 49, the median historic period is 20, and for those ages 50 and older, the median age is 21.

Among gay men and lesbians under age xxx, 24% say they start told a friend or family unit member that they were gay or lesbian before the historic period of 15. This compares with 8% of gay men and lesbians betwixt the ages of 30 to 49 and three% of those ages 50 and older. Fully two-thirds of gay men and lesbians under age thirty say they shared their sexual orientation with a friend or family fellow member before they were 20 years erstwhile. This compares with 47% of those ages 30 to 49 and 35% of those ages 50 and older.

SDT-2013-06-LGBT-3-05These age gaps may be related to the fact that younger adults who may not even so identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (merely may in the future) would not qualify to be included in the survey. Therefore, past definition, these younger adults could not have waited until they were age 30 or older to tell someone they were gay or lesbian. Even so, these historic period gaps may reflect the changes that have taken place in society over the past decade or so. As the public has become more accepting of the LGBT population, information technology may be that gay men and lesbians feel more than comfortable sharing their sexual orientation at an earlier historic period.

It is important to notation that many LGBT adults followed a different sequence in coming to realize their sexual orientation or gender identity and beginning to share information technology with others. Some individuals first felt they might be something other than straight, then told someone almost it, but are notwithstanding not entirely sure. Others may know for certain that they are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender but may have never shared this information with anyone.

Telling Mom and Dad

An important milestone for many lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgender people is telling their parents about their sexual orientation or gender identity. Overall, LGBT adults are more than likely to have shared this data with their mothers than with their fathers. Near say telling their parents was difficult, but relatively few say it damaged their human relationship.

SDT-2013-06-LGBT-3-06Some 56% of LGBT adults say they have told their mother that they are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. About 1-3rd (34%) say they have not told their mother, and an additional 10% say this is non applicable to them considering their female parent is not a part of their life or died earlier they could tell her.

Roughly 4-in-ten LGBT adults (39%) say they have told their father about their sexual orientation or gender identity. The same share say they have not told their father. An additional 21% say that their male parent is deceased or that they have no relationship with him.

Overall, LGBT adults are much more than probable to have told a close friend that they are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender than they are to have told one of their parents. Fully 86% say they accept shared this information with a close friend.

Across LGB groups, gay men and lesbians are much more probable than bisexuals to have told their parents well-nigh their sexual orientation. Fully 70% of gay men and 67% of lesbians accept told their mother, compared with forty% of bisexuals. Similarly, 53% of gay men and 45% of lesbians accept told their male parent, compared with only 24% of bisexuals.

SDT-2013-06-LGBT-3-07There is a significant deviation here betwixt bisexual men and women. Fully 47% of bisexual women say they have told their mother that they are bisexual compared with 22% of bisexual men. And while 29% of bisexual women have told their father virtually their sexual orientation, only viii% of bisexual men have done the same.

LGBT respondents who said that they have not told their parents near their sexual orientation or gender identity were asked in an open-ended question why they had not shared this information. Two primary reasons emerged. First, many respondents say it was non important to tell their parent or that the subject never came up. Almost one-in-four respondents (27%) who take non told their mother gave this as a reason, as did 21% who have not told their father.

Bisexuals are much more than likely than gay men and lesbians to say their sexual orientation never came up with their parents or that raising the subject was not of import to them. Among those who have not told their mothers, 34% of bisexuals and 16% of gay men and lesbians gave this type of explanation when asked why they hadn't told her.17 The pattern is similar among LGB adults who said they have non told their father most their sexual orientation.

The second-most common response given past LGBT adults in explaining why they did not tell their mother or father about their sexual orientation or gender identity was that they causeless their parent would not exist accepting or understanding of this, or they worried almost how it would bear upon their relationship with their parent. Among LGBT respondents who have not told their mother, 22% gave this type of explanation; xx% of those who haven't told their father gave a similar reason. There are no significant differences here betwixt gay men, lesbians and bisexuals.

One-in-five gay men and lesbians who accept not told their mother about their sexual orientation say they never told her because she already knew or someone else told her. A much smaller share of bisexuals says this—only 7% say they didn't tell their mother, merely that she already knew. Among LGB adults who have not told their father about their sexual orientation, thirteen% of gay men say this is because he already knew, likewise as 17% of lesbians and 5% of bisexuals.

For LGBT adults who accept not told their father that they are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, about one-in-ten (12%) say they didn't tell him because they do not have a close relationship with him. This is less of a factor with mothers: Only iv% of LGBT respondents say they oasis't told their mother about their sexual orientation because their human relationship is non shut.

Voices: Why Didn't You Tell Your Female parent or Father?

Mother:

"My mom strongly upholds all of the views of her church and one of those is being totally anti-gay. She is very bourgeois and not very accepting." – Lesbian, age 65

"It was experimentation. I didn't recall it was any of her business concern, equally information technology was none of her business organisation how many men partners I had." – Bisexual adult female, age 61

"Don't want to stress her out. Her oldest brother was prey of the AIDS epidemic in the early 90s." – Gay homo, age 43

"I ever felt she already knew. I always meant to have 'the conversation' but the fourth dimension never seemed right." – Gay man, historic period 57

"It's simply never come up. I rarely discuss details of my love life with anyone since I am a securely private person. If I were to brand a serious commitment to another woman, I would tell my mother about it" – Bisexual woman, age 39

Male parent:

"This is not a field of study to hash out or tell anyone near, ever, except those with whom I may relish having sex with. It's not my identity. Information technology is an activity – similar bowling, or gardening, or pick-upwards basketball games in the neighborhood, or joining the PTA – except that information technology's more intimate & personal, as a thing of discretion and respect for proper behavior in polite lodge." – Bisexual adult female, historic period 54

"I doubtfulness he would have any clue what I was talking about or why I was bringing it to him or what information technology meant." – Transgender person, historic period nineteen

"He's very religious and he observed my orientation before I outwardly expressed it. It was like a silent acknowledgement but not acceptance." – Lesbian, historic period 58

"Unless I decide to be with a girl long term, in that location is no reason for him to know."
– Bisexual woman, historic period 25

"He was homophobic, plus we had a rocky relationship. I was very conflicted about him. I wanted his honey." – Gay homo, age 86

"He's not equally open up minded as my female parent, so [I'thou] waiting." – Bisexual homo, historic period 26

LGBT/44new,45new

It Was Hard, but Information technology Was Worth Information technology

SDT-2013-06-LGBT-3-08For those LGBT adults who have told one or both parents about their sexual orientation or gender identity, most say it was non like shooting fish in a barrel. Yet, on balance, they say their human relationship either grew stronger or didn't modify subsequently sharing this information. Relatively few say their relationship grew weaker.

Amidst those respondents who say they have told their mother, 59% say it was difficult to tell her; 40% say information technology was not difficult. Gay men and lesbians are more likely than bisexuals to say telling their female parent well-nigh their sexual orientation was a hard thing (64% of gay men and 65% of lesbians say it was difficult, vs. 48% of bisexuals).

Four-in-ten LGBT adults (39%) who say they take told their mother about their sexual orientation say, since telling her, that their relationship has grown stronger. An boosted 46% say their relationship with their female parent has not changed, and 14% say their relationship has grown weaker. Lesbians are twice as likely every bit gay men to say telling their mother almost their sexual orientation hurt their human relationship (23% of lesbians say the relationship grew weaker, compared with 12% of gay men).

For those who take told their father that they are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, the pattern is much the same. Well-nigh two-thirds (65%) say it was difficult to tell their father about their sexual orientation or gender identity, while 34% say it was not difficult. Gay men are about equally likely as lesbians to say it was hard to share this data with their begetter (74% of gay men vs. 63% of lesbians).

SDT-2013-06-LGBT-3-09Since telling their begetter, some 54% of LGBT adults say their human relationship has not changed, and an additional 32% say it has grown stronger (32%). Some 13% say telling their father made their relationship weaker. Gay men and lesbians are more likely than bisexuals who accept told their father about their sexual orientation to say this fabricated their relationship stronger.

Brothers and Sisters

Among lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender adults who take a sibling, roughly six-in-10 say they take told their siblings about their sexual orientation or gender identity. Two-thirds (65%) have told a sister, and 59% have told a brother.

Gay men and lesbians are more likely than bisexuals to accept shared this data with a sister or brother. Amongst gay men and lesbians who accept at least i sis, large majorities say they have told a sister most their sexual orientation (75% of gay men and 80% of lesbians). Past dissimilarity, only 50% of bisexuals say they accept told a sis that they are bisexual. Similarly, roughly three-quarters of gay men (74%) and lesbians (76%) with at least one brother say they take told a brother about their sexual orientation, compared with 42% of bisexuals.

Voices: Tell Us More Near Your Coming Out Experience

"It is always nervus-wracking when I come out to someone, but I accept had a positive reaction from everyone I accept told, except for my dad. My mom and I were already very close, and then it didn't affect our human relationship. Nearly everyone in my life knows, and if someone new comes into my life, I tell him or her. If this person cannot accept that I am gay, then he or she does non demand to be a part of my life."
–Lesbian, historic period 25, commencement told someone at age 13

"At that place were two friends from my loftier school days who I lost after coming out to them. That was painful. They had always said they believed in anybody being their ain person and living their own life, then this was a surprise when they trotted out the "see a shrink" line and wouldn't talk to me anymore. Plus, we'd but been through the '60s and the Summer of Love and all that – I expected more open up minds. Everyone else has been great, and for 40+ years I accept never hesitated about or regretted being out."
–Lesbian, historic period 58, first told someone at historic period 17

"Coming from a stiff evangelical Christian upbringing, and however applying that to my life, it's been hard. A lot of people (some or most of my family included) don't approve or want to have anything to do with it, and choose to ignore my partner."
–Lesbian, age 28, commencement told someone at age 16

"I wish I would take told people sooner. I came of age when AIDS outset emerged and homophobia was adequate. I wasted besides many years being afraid of my sexuality and making choices that allowed me to hide in the background of life. I was sort of a professional wallflower." –Gay man, historic period 43, offset told someone at age 22

"The most difficult part was acknowledging this in myself. Telling my best friend wasn't too difficult. I was nervous, even though he told me afterwards that he had known for a while. None of my other friends or family unit members know and I don't program on telling them unless absolutely necessary. I'g comfortable with myself, but am agape of the reactions that I volition receive should I divulge this information to those with whom I am closest."
–Bisexual woman, historic period 20, first told someone at age 20

"In the beginning, it was hard, but ever ended upward positive. Present, there really is no determination. I simply take a sexual orientation the same as anyone else, and talk almost my partner, etc., the same fashion anyone mentions their contrary-sex activity spouse, and there's no "event" associated with it." –Gay human being, age 57, first told someone at age 21

"The hardest thing is merely… there's really no good way to bring it upwardly. Yous almost hope people volition ask, because it's just sort of a burden, carrying around a secret. For my parents, I was mostly worried that they wouldn't accept it seriously and treat it as a stage. For my friends, I was scared they would call up I was hitting on them. I come from a pretty Catholic, Midwestern town, so information technology was crude."
-Bisexual woman, historic period xx, start told someone at historic period fourteen

"Information technology was extremely difficult to come out to my family. I didn't do so until I was in my xxx'due south. Thankfully, my family said they loved me no affair what. Many of my friends weren't as fortunate to have such a positive response. It'south still not something my family really discusses but I am happy that I was finally able to share my orientation with them." -Bisexual adult female, age 41, first told someone at age 17

"It'southward always on a example by instance basis. Those who honey me and truly care for me have, of grade, been the virtually agreement. My brother has really taken the news the all-time; much better than I even expected. He's met the current guy I'm dating and they hit it off well." -Bisexual man, age 31, first told someone at age xviii

"My first 'coming out' was in a Facebook post. My friends take been cool; they by and large use the correct pronouns once that was explained and they all call me my chosen proper name at present which is just wonderful. Now on the internet and in clan with peers and fan culture, I am out. The people I am non out to by and large include adults, such equally coworkers or friends parents, and my own family unit – I don't experience that, as the average person (and not in a more than accepting youthful age), they would really 'believe' in nonbinary genders or understand me proverb that I am i."
–Transgender person, age 19

LGBT/l

Cities, Towns, Neighborhoods

SDT-2013-06-LGBT-3-10Most LGBT adults (70%) say there is at least some social credence of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender population in the city or town where they live. But relatively few (29%) say in that location is a lot of credence. Well-nigh three-in-10 say there is only a little (23%) or no acceptance (4%) of people who are LGBT in their community.

Gay men and lesbians are more likely than bisexuals to say at that place is a lot of social acceptance of the LGBT population in their metropolis or town. Four-in-ten gay men (39%) and 31% of lesbians, compared with twenty% of bisexuals, say there'southward a lot of acceptance where they alive.

SDT-2013-06-LGBT-3-11Amidst gay men and lesbians, perceptions virtually social acceptance differ by region of the state. Those living in the West (51%) are more than likely than those living in the South (29%) or Midwest (29%) to say there is a lot of acceptance of LGBT individuals in their city or boondocks. At the same time, Midwesterners are more likely than those living in whatsoever other region to say there is some acceptance in their community of LGBT individuals (52% of gay men and lesbians living in the Midwest say this, compared with 35% or less of those living in the Northeast, South or West). Gay men and lesbians living in the South are much more than likely than those living in the West or Midwest to say in that location is simply a little or no acceptance of the LGBT population where they alive (36% in the South vs. 19% in the Midwest and xviii% in the West).
Gay men and lesbians with a college caste and those with annual incomes of $75,000 or college are among the most likely to say in that location is a lot of acceptance of the LGBT population in the city or town where they live. Amid college graduates, 48% say in that location is a lot of credence. This compares with just 29% of those without a college degree. Similarly, among those with an income of $75,000 or higher, 51% say there is a lot of acceptance where they live, while only 32% of those with lower incomes say the same.

Regardless of how they feel nigh the level of social acceptance in their city or town, most LGBT adults say this is non a reason why they live in that particular identify. Only 12% say the level of social acceptance in their metropolis or town is a major reason for living at that place. I-in-five say this is a minor reason. Fully ii-thirds (67%) say this is not a reason at all.

SDT-2013-06-LGBT-3-12LGBT adults who say at that place is a lot of acceptance of people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender in their urban center or town are much more probable to say this is an important reason why they live there than are those who say there is piffling or no acceptance of the LGBT population in their community. About four-in-x respondents (38%) who say there is at least some acceptance of LGBT individuals in their community also say this is a major or minor reason for living at that place. Among those who say at that place is little or no acceptance in their city or town, only 15% say the level of social acceptance is a reason they live at that place.

Overall, gay men and lesbians are more likely than bisexuals to say the level of social credence in the city or town where they live is an important reason why they alive in that location. Some 23% of gay men say this is a major reason, and 13% of lesbians say the same. Only 3% of bisexuals say the level of social acceptance of LGBT adults is a major reason for living in their metropolis or town.

Among gay men and lesbians, there is a significant age gap on this measure. Gay men and lesbians under age 45 are much more likely than those ages 45 and older to say the level of social acceptance in their city or town is a reason why they alive there. Amid those ages 18 to 44, about half (48%) say the level of social acceptance is at to the lowest degree a minor reason why they live in their urban center or boondocks. This compares with just 33% of gay men and lesbians who are 45 and older. Among the older age group, 67% say this is not a reason why they alive in their community.

Gay men and lesbians with a college degree are more than probable than those who take non completed college to say the level of social acceptance in their city or town is one reason for living at that place (49% of college graduates say this is a major or small reason, compared with 35% of non-college graduates).

LGBT Neighborhoods

SDT-2013-06-LGBT-3-13Among all LGBT respondents to the Pew Research survey, relatively few (12%) say they currently live in a neighborhood known for existence an LGBT neighborhood. An additional 14% say that while they practice not currently live in an LGBT neighborhood, they accept lived in 1 in the past. Fully 72% say they have never lived in an LGBT neighborhood.

Gay men are more probable than lesbians to have lived in an LGBT neighborhood at some point in their life. Three-in-ten gay men (32%), compared with 18% of lesbians, either live in this blazon of neighborhood at present or did in the by. Amongst bisexuals, 26% live or have lived in an LGBT neighborhood. Bisexual women (29%) are much more likely than bisexual men (17%) to take done this.

Among gay men and lesbians, the more than of import they say their sexual orientation is to their overall identity, the more likely they are to have lived in an LGBT neighborhood. Fully one-third (35%) of those who say existence gay or lesbian is extremely or very important to their overall identity either live in an LGBT neighborhood now or take lived in ane in the by. This compares with only 21% of those who say their sexual orientation is less important to their overall identity. Some 78% of this group have never lived in an LGBT neighborhood.

Among all LGBT adults, non-whites are more likely than whites to accept lived in an LGBT neighborhood (31% of non-whites vs. vs. 23% of whites say they have ever lived in this type of neighborhood). In that location is no significant difference by age in the share of LGBT adults who either live in an LGBT neighborhood or take done so in the past, but LGBT adults ages 45 and older are more likely than younger LGBT adults to say they did this in the past, but are not currently living in this blazon of neighborhood. There are no differences by relationship status either. LGBT adults who are married or living with a partner are just equally probable every bit those who are non in a human relationship to say they have lived in an LGBT neighborhood.

Friends and Co-Workers

SDT-2013-06-LGBT-3-14For lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgender adults, their close friends are a mix of people who are LGBT and people who are not. Only 12% of all LGBT adults say all or about of their close friends are LGBT. An additional 42% say some of their shut friends are LGBT, most one-3rd (35%) say only a few of their friends are LGBT, and 9% say none of their friends are.

There are pregnant differences across LGB groups. Gay men are more probable than lesbians or bisexuals to have a lot of LGBT friends. Some 22% of gay men say all or most of their close friends are LGBT, compared with 12% of lesbians and 5% of bisexuals. Among bisexuals, fully one-half say only a few (41%) or none (12%) of their friends are LGBT. Bisexual men are much more probable than bisexual women (67% vs. 47%) to say only a few or none of their close friends are LGBT.

Not surprisingly, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender adults who have lived in an LGBT neighborhood are more likely than those who have not to have a lot of LGBT friends. Amongst those who alive in an LGBT neighborhood now or take in the by, 21% say all or most of their friends are LGBT. Among those who haven't lived in this type of neighborhood, simply 10% say the aforementioned.

Finding Acceptance at Piece of work

Among LGBT adults who are employed full or role fourth dimension, nigh say that their workplace is accepting of employees who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. About half (51%) say their workplace is very accepting, while 35% say it is somewhat accepting. Only 13% say their workplace is either not besides accepting (11%) or not at all accepting (2%).eighteen

Gay men find their workplaces somewhat more accepting than do bisexuals. Among employed gay men, 60% say their workplace is very accepting of gay men. Half of working lesbians say that their workplace is very accepting of lesbian employees, and 44% of bisexuals say their workplace is very accepting of bisexual employees.

Although they seem to find at least some acceptance at work, but one-third of employed LGBT adults say all or most of the people they work closely with at their job are enlightened of their sexual orientation or gender identity. An boosted xviii% say some of the people they work closely with know they are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. Some 22% say only a few of their co-workers know this, and 26% say no one at work knows.

There are large gaps here across LGB subgroups. Virtually half of gay men (48%) and lesbians (50%) who work say all or about of the people they work with closely at their job know that they are gay or lesbian. Among bisexuals, only 11% say about of their closest co-workers know they are bisexual. Fully vii-in-10 bisexuals who piece of work say only a few or none of the people they work closely with at their job know they are bisexual.

Going Online

SDT-2013-06-LGBT-3-15People who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender are more socially active on social networking sites than the general public, simply this is likely due in part to the relative youth of the LGBT population. Viii-in-x (80%) LGBT adults report always using social networking sites. By comparing, in a February 2012 Pew Enquiry survey of the full general public, but 58% of adults (and 68% of adult internet users) said the same. However, equal shares of LGBT adults ages eighteen to 29 and all adults ages xviii to 29 say they take ever used social networking sites—89% and ninety% respectively.

Some 54% of LGBT social networking site users say they have referred to beingness LGBT or revealed their sexual orientation or gender identity on a social networking site. Gay men (69%) and lesbians (62%) are more likely to say they have done this than bisexuals (forty%). Younger LGBT social networking site users are as well more likely to exist open about their sexual or gender identities online than older users. Some 58% of those ages 18 to 44 say they have revealed their identity on a social networking site compared with 46% of those ages 45 and older.

Overall, near half (55%) of LGBT adults say they have fabricated new LGBT friends online or through a social networking site. Gay men are more likely to say they have met new LGBT friends online (69%) than either lesbians (47%) or bisexuals (49%).

Though social networking sites are popular among LGBT cyberspace users and many have made LGBT friends online, using the internet to discuss LGBT bug is less mutual. According to the Pew Research survey, only sixteen% of LGBT adults say they regularly discuss LGBT issues online or on a social networking site. Gay men (20%) are more likely to exercise this compared with bisexual men (7%). Some 16% of bisexual women and fourteen% of lesbians also say they regularly hash out LGBT problems online.

Happiness

SDT-2013-06-LGBT-3-16When they are asked, in the most general terms, how happy they are with their life overall, LGBT adults are less upbeat than the general public. Just eighteen% of LGBT respondents say they are very happy compared with 30% of the general public.nineteen About two-thirds (65%) of LGBT respondents say they are pretty happy and xvi% say they are not likewise happy. Amidst all adults, 57% say they are pretty happy and 13% say they are non too happy.

At that place is no meaning difference across LGBT groups in the share saying they are very happy. Roughly 1-in-5 gay men (18%), lesbians (20%) and bisexuals (sixteen%) are very happy.

Amidst all LGBT adults, there is some variation in happiness beyond age groups. Well-nigh equal shares of young, middle-anile and older LGBT adults say they are very happy. However, those nether age 50 are much more likely than those ages 65 and older to say they are not besides happy (nineteen% vs. six%).

In that location are bigger gaps past income. LGBT adults with annual family incomes of $75,000 or higher are nigh twice equally probable every bit those with lower incomes to say they are very happy (32% vs. 15%). LGBT adults at the lowest end of the income scale (with annual incomes of less than $xxx,000) are about twice as likely as those in the eye- and highest-income brackets to say they are non besides happy (23% vs. 12% for middle and high-income LGBT adults).

There is a similar income gap in happiness among the general public. Among all adults, nigh one-in-4 (25%) of those with annual household incomes of less than $xxx,000 say they are non likewise happy with their lives overall. This compares with 13% of those making between $30,000 and $74,999 and only 6% of those making $75,000 or more.
LGBT adults are more than likely than all adults to fall into the lowest income category (with almanac family incomes of less than $30,000). This is due in part to the fact that fewer of them are married and living in dual income households (see Chapter ane for more details).

SDT-2013-06-LGBT-3-17Those who are married or living with a partner are significantly happier than those who are not.20 Some 26% of LGBT adults who are married or living with a partner say they are very happy, compared with 14% of those who are not. The pattern is like amongst the general public, although the happiness gap between married and unmarried adults is non equally wide among all adults as it is amidst those who are LGBT.

Perceptions of how much social acceptance at that place is of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people these days is besides related to personal happiness. A large bulk of LGBT adults (77%) say that there is at least some social acceptance of the LGBT population today. Those who say there is a lot of acceptance are happier than those who say at that place is little or no acceptance. Among those who see a lot of social acceptance, 26% are very happy. This compares with 13% of those who encounter lilliputian or no acceptance. Among those who say at that place is some acceptance, 17% are very happy.

Trust in Others

SDT-2013-06-LGBT-3-18Almost 4-in-ten (39%) LGBT adults say that, in full general, "most people tin can be trusted" while 60% say "you can't be too careful dealing with people." This is nigh identical to the balance of opinion within the general public.

Bisexuals are somewhat less likely than lesbians and gay men to say that virtually people can be trusted. There are big differences in trust between bisexual men (45% say most people can be trusted) and women (29%).

Both in the general public and amid LGBT adults, younger people are less likely than others to say that most people tin can be trusted.