Care of Sexual & Gender Minority Individuals: Info & Resources
Overview
The sexual and gender minority (SGM) population in the United States includes individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, two spirit, or queer/questioning. It also includes individuals who do not self-identify with one of these terms but whose sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or reproductive development is characterized by non-binary concepts of sexual orientation, gender, and/or sex.
Population
According to the US Census Bureau, approximately 8%* of respondents self-selected lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender when asked about their identity. A further 2% of participants “identify with a sexual orientation other than lesbian, gay, bisexual, or straight” (Human Rights Campaign, 2021). This could include a number of other orientations such as pansexual, asexual, and others. Census data suggests that more than 1% (more than 2 million) of people identify as transgender – an increase from prior estimates of approximately 1.4 million.
- SGM individuals are diverse and represent various racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
- Research suggests that SGM individuals are found across all age groups, geographic regions, and educational levels (Gates, 2011, Gates, 2013 Gates, 2018; Flores, et al. 2022)
*The exact size of the SGM population is difficult to determine due to disparities in self-reporting and limited data collection methods.
U.S. Trans Survey: Reports from the 2015 survey, the largest survey ever devoted to the lives and experiences of transgender people across the United States. Results from the expanded 2022 survey coming soon.