And some 54% say all or most of the important people in their life know that they are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. The vast majority of LGBT respondents (86%) say they have told one or more close friends about their sexual orientation or gender identity. How Many of the Important People in Your Life Know? Survey respondents were invited to elaborate on their experiences, and many of their stories are captured in an interactive feature on the Pew Research Center website.Įxplore some 300 quotes from LGBT survey respondents about their coming out experiences. Ultimately, these journeys are personal and hard to quantify. Still, about half say only a few or none of their co-workers know about their sexual orientation or gender identity. A majority of employed LGBT adults say their workplaces are accepting of people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.
Some seek out neighborhoods that are predominantly LGBT, but most do not. This section also explores the interactions LGBT adults have outside of their circles of family and close friends-in their communities and workplaces. This section looks at the process of coming out-when and how it happens, how difficult it is, and what impact it has on relationships. For lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgender people, realizing their sexual orientation or gender identity and sharing that information with family and friends is often a gradual process that can unfold over a series of years.
