Gallup poll reflects generational differences in coming out

Younger LGBTQ people are coming out earlier — to themselves and to others — compared with previous generations, according to new national polling from Gallup. 

One of the most notable differences between older and younger adults is seen when evaluating the age of coming out. LGBTQ adults between the ages of 18 and 29 came out at a median age of 17, according to Gallup, while people 65 and older reported 26 as the median age when they came out. Those who are between the ages of 18 and 29 say they knew they were LGBTQ by age 14, while individuals between the ages of 65 and older said they knew by 16.

The numbers also reflect other generational differences among LGBTQ individuals, including when it comes to whether people come out at all. But some numbers are relatively consistent across different generations of LGBTQ adults. Among all LGBTQ adults, 72% knew they were LGBTQ by age 18 and 71% say they came out to others by the time they were 30. 

Among LGBTQ people and all US adults, 70% say the treatment of LGBTQ people has “gotten a lot” or “gotten a little” better in the last decade.

The poll was conducted in an online survey of about 47,000 adults this past May. 

The takeaways also point to disparities between when groups knew they were LGBTQ and when they came out. Younger adults waited an average of three years between the time they knew they were LGBTQ and the time when they came out to others, while older adults waited an average of 10 years. 

The numbers further reflect the realities of LGBTQ rights and the cultural climate for Americans depending on when they grew up. Individuals who are 65 and older were born prior to the Stonewall Uprising and came of age decades before queer people could get married or adopt children. Meanwhile, young adults are living in a world with significant LGBTQ visibility and resources, albeit in the face of persistent discrimination and hostility. Transgender individuals are able to be reflected in ways that were not possible in previous generations. 

However, significant portions of the population have still yet to tell anyone they are LGBTQ. Among LGBTQ adults between 18 and 29, 15% haven’t told anyone. That number climbs to 22% among LGBTQ people who are 65 or older.

Moreover, bisexual adults represent the largest share of LGBTQ individuals who have yet to come out, at 23%. Though transgender Americans were included in the survey, the sample size for that question was not large enough to measure the share of those who had yet to come out. Furthermore, 14% of LGBTQ women say they came out by age 14 — more than twice as high as the 6% of LGBTQ men who reported the same.