Gen Z - One In Five identify as LGBTQ+ - What does that mean?
- Ms Andrea King
- May 13
- 5 min read
Updated: May 18
I'll be honest with you. I don't usually give a flying fig about statistics. Numbers are what boring people wave around when they want to sound clever without having to make an actual argument. But sometimes one catches your attention and makes you think.
A 2025 Gallup poll found that more than one in five Gen Z adults in the US now identify as LGBTQ+ (those born between 1997 and 2012). That figure has nearly doubled since 2020 and tripled since 2012. Here in the UK it's roughly one in six. That's a massive huge chunk of the younger population and let's also not forget, there will be others who weren't prepared to, or able to admit they're part of the community. The real number is almost certainly higher. It always is.
Although I've always known since the age of three that I'm a girl, I didn't release myself from that life sentence until I was fifty five. Why? Because I simply didn't have the balls to do it until then.
Society has changed so much since the seventies and eighties when I grew up. That’s proven by the fact that so many younger people are able to express their true selves rather than feel they need to hide away their "dirty little secret." They shouldn't have to. Nobody should.
The political weather
But here's the thing. Just as a generation is coming of age that actually knows who they are and isn't bothered about admitting it — the political weather has turned stormy.
As many of you know, in the US, they're banning trans kids from sport, gutting healthcare access and — I kid you not — spending actual legislative time on which toilets people use. Meanwhile in the UK it’s not much better. The Supreme Court decided to wade in last year and rule that for the purposes of the Equality Act, "woman" and "man" mean biological sex.
So there we have it. Trans women aren't women and trans men aren't men. Just like that. Sorted. Decades of progress, lived experience, medical consensus — all of it essentially told to do one by a courtroom full of people who I'd bet have never had a meaningful conversation with a trans person in their lives. I genuinely don't have the words. Well, I do but I’m trying to keep this article reasonably expletive free.
Why the numbers matter
But — and this is the bit that actually makes me optimistic — those Gen Z numbers are important. LGBTQ+ identification among young people keeps rising and it isn't slowing down. These kids aren't going to grow out of it, whatever certain people seem to be hoping. They're going to get older. They're going to be your boss, your MP, your CEO. Blimey, we might even see the first gay president of the United States within the next thirty years or so. The generation currently being used as a political football is the one that will eventually be deciding the rules of the game. I really believe the tide turns with them. It has to.
Which brings me to workplaces — because while we're waiting for politicians to catch up, this is where real life actually happens.
That person sitting in your second interview right now? They're clocking everything. The language on your website. Whether anyone in the office looks like them. Whether your HR policies were written in 1987 or last week. They're not being paranoid. They're being sensible. Because a workplace that's indifferent to who they are is one where they'll spend half their energy just managing the situation rather than, you know, doing the job you're paying them for.
I said that I don’t like numbers, but go on, here’s another stat. Nearly a third of Gen Z women identify as LGBTQ+. Yeah you read that right. A third. So if your diversity strategy mostly involves a token event once a year and some branded lanyards, I've got bad news for you.
What inclusion looks like
And look — I'll make the moral case because it's the right one. But if that doesn't get you, try this one: if over a fifth of your talent pool identifies as LGBTQ+ and your culture makes them feel like they’re just tolerated rather than actually belonging in your business, you're not just being a plonker. You're being a commercially incompetent plonker.
Real inclusion isn't a policy on SharePoint that nobody can find. It's not the mandatory unconscious bias training everyone sits through once a year so the company can say “we’ve got an inclusive culture”. It's managers who do actually know what to do when someone transitions. Benefits that don't assume everyone's married to someone of the opposite sex with two kids and a dog. Job adverts that don't make queer people feel like they're being considered as a category rather than a candidate.
Not rocket science. Just requires giving an actual damn.
The future
The generation being legislated against today will be writing the legislation tomorrow. One in five. One in six. Rising.
A lot of people are sceptical and I get that given the current climate, but change is on the way. Gen Z are coming.
Stick that in your pipe and smoke it — or don’t and pay the commercial price.
I am a D&I consultant, keynote speaker, Mental Health First Aider, writer and transgender woman with 20+ years of senior corporate leadership experience. I work with businesses across all sectors to build genuinely inclusive cultures whilst also supporting transgender individuals and their families through every stage of the journey. If this piece resonated, you can find more articles on andreaking.net or book a free discovery call if you'd like to talk.
The views expressed in this article are my own and are based on personal experience and perspective. They are not intended as medical, legal or professional advice.
Further Reading - Gen Z LGBTQ+
Gallup — LGBTQ+ Identification in U.S. Now at 7.6%. A key source for the rising Gen Z LGBTQ+ identification figures.
PRRI / NBC News — Nearly 30% of Gen Z adults identify as LGBTQ, national survey finds. Another major survey showing how strongly identity trends differ by generation.
Office for National Statistics — Sexual orientation, UK (2023). Shows that around one in ten 16–24-year-olds in the UK identified as LGB, highlighting the generational shift in visibility.
Frequently asked questions
What does Gen Z LGBTQ+ mean?
It refers to Gen Z adults who identify as LGBTQ+, showing how identity is shifting and becoming more visible.
Why does the statistic matter?
Because it shows that younger generations are more open about their identities and are likely to shape future culture and policy.
What does this mean for workplaces?
It means businesses need to create environments where LGBTQ+ people feel they belong, not just tolerated.
Why are Gen Z numbers rising?
Greater visibility, language, and social acceptance make it easier for people to understand and express who they are.
What should employers do?
Build real inclusion into policies, benefits, management training and everyday workplace culture.
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