Gallup’s latest poll confirms what many of us in Gen Z already knew: We are the most openly LGBTQ+ generation in history.

As of 2024, more than one in five Gen Z adults (23.1%) identify as LGBTQ+, a record high since Gallup first measured LGBTQ+ identification in 2012 and up from 7.6% from their 2023 survey. The percentage has almost doubled since 2020 and has risen from 3.5% in 2012.

That number drops drastically with older generations: millennials sit at 14%, Gen X at 5.1%, and baby boomers at 3%.

Bisexual Identity Leads the Growth

The biggest driver of this shift? Bisexuality. More than half of LGBTQ+ Gen Z adults (59%) identify as bisexual, a trend that holds for millennials as well at 52%. The older the generation, the less likely someone is to identify as bisexual, with LGBTQ+ baby boomers and Silent Generation adults overwhelmingly identifying as gay or lesbian instead.

This tracks with the way younger people approach labels. For many of us, sexuality is less rigid. We grew up in a world where queerness was more visible, giving us the space to explore identity without feeling boxed in. Labels still matter for many members of the LGBTQ+ community, but they’re more fluid than they were for past generations.

Who Identifies as LGBTQ+?

The Gallup data also confirms trends that have been evident for years: women, liberals, and urban residents are the most likely to identify as LGBTQ+.

• Women (10%) are more likely than men (6%) to identify as LGBTQ+, largely because women are more likely to identify as bisexual.
• In Gen Z, the gap is especially pronounced. 31% of Gen Z women identify as LGBTQ+ compared to just 12% of Gen Z men. For millennials, 18% of women versus 8% of men identify as LGBTQ+, with millennial women also more likely to identify as bisexual.
• Politics matter. 14% of Democrats and 11% of independents identify as LGBTQ+, compared to just 3% of conservatives.
• Location plays a role, too. LGBTQ+ identification is highest in cities (11%) and suburbs (10%) but drops in rural areas (7%).
• Between 1% and 2% of U.S. adults identify as nonbinary, and roughly 80% of them also identify as LGBTQ+.
  

What This Means for Gen Z

Gallup’s findings highlight something important: Our generation is reshaping what it means to be openly LGBTQ+. We’re not just coming out in higher numbers; we’re redefining identity and rejecting the idea that queerness has to fit into a rigid mold.

Of course, with visibility comes backlash. Queer and trans rights remain under attack, especially in conservative states like Florida, where lawmakers are pushing anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. But as more of us come out and claim space, the harder it becomes to erase us.

The data suggests that LGBTQ+ identification will only continue to rise as Gen Z and younger generations grow older. We’re not the outliers anymore; we are the future.

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