Primary Submission Category: LGBTQ+
Demographic Trends for Sexual and Gender Minority Adults in a National Sample from the American Population Panel
Authors: Allen Mallory Autumn Bermea Rin Reczek
Presenting Author: Allen Mallory*
Sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) are increasingly critical demographic characteristics to measure, given the increasing number of people who identify as sexual and gender minorities (SGM) and given the distinct demographic and health profiles across SOGI. Currently, 1 out of 6 American adults born between 1997 and 2012 identify as SGM compared to 1 out of 10 born just one generation earlier. This rapid increase in the number of people who identify as SGM has paralleled an equally rapid change in the political landscape and social acceptance of SGM people. However, science has been slow to accumulate data capable of documenting the diversity of demographic and health profiles related to SOGI. Using data from a national sample of 2,718 SGM, we find a number of demographic trends that mirror previous findings: 20% of participants reported ever experiencing homelessness, 5% reported ever being in foster care, 48% reported suicidal ideation, and 24% reported serious mental distress. Our data also provide novel insights regarding SGM populations: 26% of participants reported multiple sexual identities, 13% were intersex, 32% reported receiving healthcare affirming their SOGI–nearly all (84%) reported this for physical health care, with relatively fewer (59%) for their mental health care), 50% reported having a child, 35% were single, and 32% reported consistent involvement in community activities related to their sexual orientation. Given the changing demographics of SGM, these national data highlight important trends related to the health and demographics of SGM people. Our full presentation will provide comparisons with other national datasets of SGM people, including the Generations Study, the National Couples Health and Time Use Survey (NCHAT), and the Pride study.