Almost 30% Of Gen Z Adults Claim They're Queer; New Poll Finds
'Gen Z' - which includes those born between 1997 and 2012 - is less-religious, less-Republican, and more queer than any generation before.
The survey by the nonpartisan Public Religion Research Institute confirms the left-leaning beliefs of Gen Z shown by other studies.
The survey was conducted between August 21st and September 15th, with a sample size of 6,014 Americans between the ages of 13 and 25. Among those between the ages of 13 and 17, the margin of error was 1.51%, while the margin of error for those between 18 and 25 was 1.58%.
Gen Z adults (21%) are less likely than Gen Xers (28%), baby boomers (32%), and members of the Silent Generation (31%) to identify as Republican, but they do not differ from millennials (21%).
Gen Z adults are notably less likely to identify as religiously-affiliated than older generations...
And finally, Gen Z adults are significantly more likely than older generations to identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or something else, with 28% identifying as LGBTQ, compared with 16% of millennials, 7% of Generation X, 4% of baby boomers, and 4% of the Silent Generation.
In other words, the queerness of society is approximately doubling every generation.
Activist were quick to utilize this shocking data with Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson warning all the bigots:
“Whether it’s at the polls, in marches and rallies, or online, LGBTQ+ visibility matters and Gen Z is a force for change.
Thousands of LGBTQ+ young people turn 18 each day -- and lawmakers should understand there will be repercussions in November for anti-LGBTQ+ political attacks.
While LGBTQ+ people have always existed, it’s not always been, and still often is not, easy to live freely and openly.
We will continue our work towards a future where everyone in every generation can be free and comfortable to be their authentic selves.”
All of which makes us wonder - just how much of this massive general shift is reflective of an apparently much more influential role that social media plays in their lives.
"Clearly, Gen Z does not like to be labeled, and they're not necessarily wanting to hang their hat with a particular political party these days," PRRI CEO Melissa Deckman told Axios.
Except they do like to label themselves 'queer'?
One thing that does jump out from the poll is that - given the massive difference in the number of LGBTQ Gen Z'ers compared to all other generations - it appears to confirm the notion of homosexuality or any other non-heterosexual preference simply being a biological condition that people are born with is not true.
The counter, of course, would be that 25% of the world has always been queer but society has evolved so people don't have to hide it and live a lie (though this poll was taken in today's open society across all the generation, not historically during more repressed times).