U.S. adults, on average, estimate that 25% of Americans are gay or lesbian. More specifically, over half of Americans (52%) estimate that at least one in five Americans are gay or lesbian, including 35% who estimate that more than one in four are. Thirty percent put the figure at less than 15%.
There is little reliable evidence about what percentage of the U.S. population is in reality gay or lesbian, due to few representative surveys asking about sexual orientation, complexities surrounding the groups and definitions involved, and the probability that some gay and lesbian individuals may not choose to identify themselves as such. Demographer Gary Gates last month released a review of population-based surveys on the topic, estimating that 3.5% of adults in the United States identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual, with bisexuals making up a slight majority of that figure. Gates also disputes the well-circulated statistic that "10% of the males are more or less exclusively homosexual."
Americans' current collective estimate -- which is substantially higher than Gates suggests -- is likely driven more by perceptions and exposure than by scientific measurement or reality.
... Americans perceive that there is a large U.S. gay population -- one far larger than is likely reality.
Here is a video report provided by Gallup:
6 Comments
Is it so surpising that people overestimate the gay population given how much attention gays and gay rights activists get/demand from the media?
Just look at the issues of bullying and teen suicide. These problems have been around a long time and have effected many people, but no one really cared about this stuff until gay groups made a big deal out of it last year.
Perhaps if the N.E.A. concentrated more on promoting math skills, instead of social engineering, folks would make more common-sense estimates.
There is no way that they even come close to approaching the 10% figure. Just because they are loud, organized, and have infiltrated the political and judicial system does not mean that they have this number.
Do you realize that 10% or 20% is one in ten or one in five. C'mon and wake up and smell the coffee, if you go to a Little League ball game, public outing, or maybe to a show, are you going to tell me that one in ten or one in five people that are their are homosexual. If you believe that then I have some leftover Bernie Madoff stock to sell you.
It is possible it could be 1% or less. Look at the states that have SSM. Are ten percent of the marriages SSM? No. It is not even 1%. In MA they have reported somewhere around 15,000 of the population is in a SSM. But the total number of marriages is over One million. Thus the above figure barely reaches one percent of the total marriages.
Look at CA. All the media hype of SSM couples and yet the total was around 18,000. Is the population of CA 180,000? No way.
A good look at the number of SS couples compared to the number overall is a great idicator.
Statistically speaking, it is irrational to ask someone to provide his/her "best" guess.
Isn't it already ridiculous to ask someone with no means of measuring such a vague demographic as "who is partially of homosexual behavior", and considering that some men might simply look to them "effeminate" while not really of homosexual behavior. Even a man with an earing might, to them, look like a person of homosexual behavior...
But to ask for a "best" guess - what is that? How does one know what one's "best" guess is, if all are in essence guesses?
Did this people who made the survey, or accepted to answer the s t u p i d question, ever take a Statistics course?
Statistics has theorems, well defined via mathematical logic, but most people cannot understand them. They even go to Las Vegas to gamble, not realizing the statistics are against them.
My "best guess" is that a lot of people who say they are "gay" (whatever that means) are confused about themselves. There are many who have personality problems, in this fast paced, competitive, society of ours. Many people just want to be in vogue (accepted by others), even though that might mean getting a disease. All of us do it. We put ourselves under peril or over-complications just to be "accepted".
We are actually all of homosexual behavior, for we could all end up following that tendency. But that doesn't justify having the government subsidize our lifestyle, whatever it is. The government's interest is the upbringing and safety of children of the next generation - not because the government is compassionate - but because if the parents don't bring up and care for their children, it will land on the government to solve the problems rebellious and stranded children will create for society.
It could all be solved by having everyone take a couple of Statistics courses. And then people wouldn't lose so much money in Las Vegas gambling.
A local radio host recently brought up the Gates figures and asked listeners to call in and answer this question:
"Does it matter? Does it matter that what we thought was 8 or 10 or 25% of the population was gay turns out to only be 1.7%"
I think a very real case could be made that it does matter. Because the larger number can arguably be portrayed as a "normal variation" in human sexuality. But the smaller number? It can arguably be perceived as an aberration and not just a normal variation.
Heh, you could almost arguably claim that there ARE NO gay people at all, because the figure (1.7%) probably falls within the margin of error of the survey!
kidding, kidding lighten up yall