Demographics of Gays and Lesbians in the United States: Evidence from the 2011-2019 NSFG

• In Event: 40861 - Section on Sociology of Population Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): Table 7: Sexuality and Sexual Behavior

Abstract

The sociolegal contours have changed substantially since Black et al. (2000) documented the characteristics of the gay and lesbian population in the United States using data from the General Social Survey, the National Health and Social Life Survey, and the 1990 Census. Legally recognized same-sex marriage has expanded from Massachusetts in 2004 to nationwide by the 2015 landmark Supreme Court ruling of Obergefell v. Hodges, with its validity reconfirmed in the 2022 Respect for Marriage Act. This paper updates Black et al. (2000) using data from the 2011–2019 National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG). The NSFG provides multiple measures of sexual identity and behavior and collects a wealth of sociodemographic characteristics, and is well-suited for my purpose. Results show that, compared to Black et al.’s snapshot (circa 1990), an increasing proportion of the U.S. population identified themselves as gay or lesbian, and their education, earnings, and wealth became increasingly similar to the heterosexual population. No detectable trends appeared in comparisons before and after the 2015 Supreme Court ruling. Findings suggest the gay and lesbian population is less selective, likely due to reduced hostility and stigma as public opinion became more accepting of homosexuality and same-sex marriage.

Author

• Autumn S. Lin, VIS Experimental High School