How Many People Are Gay? [Homosexuality Statistics]

This statistical piece delves into the question of how many people are gay, providing insights into homosexuality statistics. Through an analysis of our own studies (+281.000 respondents), the report presents current estimates of the Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual (LGB) population, as well as trends and patterns in sexual orientation over time. By shedding light on these statistics, this report aims to provide a better understanding of the LGBTQ+ community and inform discussions around issues such as equality, discrimination, and social justice.

Definition: Gay and lesbian are terms used to describe individuals who identify as homosexual. Specifically, gay typically refers to men who are attracted to other men, while lesbian refers to women who are attracted to other women. When we talk about gays in this report we mean both genders. In other words; a man that’s together with a man but also a woman that’s together with a woman.

What percentage of the population is gay?

The world is becoming more and more sex-positive. Something we do also see in relation to people’s sexuality. For this reason, we’ve decided to dig a bit deeper into homosexuality. With a primary goal to show some interesting stats and facts but also to give you a better understanding of this area. We hope the below key findings from our report are useful. The below data includes the silent numbers we know exist in homosexuality surveys (so people that are afraid of telling about their real sexuality).

• How many people are gay (LGB)?
  16.4% of people are gay. That’s 54.6 million humans in the US and 1,312 billion humans in the World.

• What percent of women are lesbian? (L)
  3.5% of women are lesbian. That’s 11.6 million women in the US and 280 million women in the World.

• What percentage of men are gay? (G)
  4.5% of men are gay. That’s 15 million men in the US and 360 million men in the World.

• How many people are bisexual? (B)
  8.4% of people are bisexual. That’s 28 million humans in the US and 672 million humans in the World.

By age (incl. teenagers)

• 2.5% of Lesbian, Gays, and Bisexuals (LGB also called Homosexuals) are 13-17 years old.
  30% of Lesbian, Gays, and Bisexuals (LGB also called Homosexuals) are 18-24 years old.
  26% of Lesbian, Gays, and Bisexuals (LGB also called Homosexuals) are 25-34 years old.
  20% of Lesbian, Gays, and Bisexuals (LGB also called Homosexuals) are 35-49 years old.
  16% of Lesbian, Gays, and Bisexuals (LGB also called Homosexuals) are 50-64 years old.
  5.5% of Lesbian, Gays, and Bisexuals (LGB also called Homosexuals) are 65+ years old.

By race

• 58% of homosexuals in the US are white.
  21% are Latino.
  12% are Black.
  5% are more than one race.
  2% are Asian.
  2% are other.

Homosexuality in sports

• 7% of athletes are Gays, Lesbians, or Bisexuals

• 80% of US sports athletes have witnessed homophobia in sports.

• 55% of men and 35% of women hid their sexual preferences when they were young athletes.

Homosexuality in prison

• 6.5% of prisoners are homosexuals. In the juvenile justice system, it’s 25% (that’s 1 out of 4 young prisoners).

Homosexuality in the military

• 4.8% of men in the US military are self-reported as Gay or Bisexual.

Fun facts

• 8% of married men are gay.

• 11% of adults in the US report same-sex attraction.

• Women are more likely to identify as bisexual than men.

• There is a very large amount of people that are gay but are afraid of saying it. Numbers show that it’s almost 1 out of 3.

• 9% of homosexuals are unemployed compared to 5% of non-homosexuals.

• 25% of homosexuals have an income below 24$ pr. year compared to 18% of non-homosexuals.

By generation

More and more identifies as LGB (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual). Generation Z does almost double as many that identify as LGB (20.8%) as the millennials (10.5%). And it’s expected to keep increasing in the following years.

In other words, it’s almost 1 out of 6 in Generation Z that identifies as part of the LGB community.

By state – what percentage of the US population is gay?

16.4% of the US population is Gay. That’s around 54 million people. The states with the most gays are:

1. California with 8,386,094 million people
2. Texas with 4,707,103 million people
3. New York with 3,986,611 million people
4. Florida with 3,919,076 million people
5. Illinois with 2,191,466 million people

By country – how many gay people are in the world?

There are 195 countries in the world, and we’ve below listed a complete overview of how many LGB (Lesbian, Gays, Bisexuals) there are in every country. In total there are around 1.312 billion lesbians, Gays, and Bisexuals in the world.

The 5 countries with the most Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexuals are:

1. China (236 million Lesbian, Gays, and Bisexuals)
2. India (226 million Lesbian, Gays, and Bisexuals)
3. USA (54 million Lesbian, Gays, and Bisexuals)
4. Indonesia (44 million Lesbian, Gays, and Bisexuals)
5. Pakistan (36 million Lesbian, Gays, and Bisexuals)

How many countries are gay people illegal in?

Gay people’s activity is still illegal in 63 countries around the world. However, it’s important to note that the legal status of homosexuality can be complex and can vary within a country, depending on factors such as location, culture, and social attitudes. Some countries may have laws that prohibit the same-sex sexual activity, but they are not always enforced, or they may be subject to legal challenges. Additionally, the legal status of homosexuality may change over time as social attitudes and political climates shift.

Here is a table of the countries where same-sex sexual activity is illegal: