23% of GEN Z identify as Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans or other

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:23% of GEN Z identify as Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans or other
9.8% Of Millennials
4.5 OF GEN X
2.3 Baby Boomers
1.1 Silet Gen..

Thoughts?

In few generations, it went from shameful to a matter of pride, obviously youth feels comfortable coming out though some are probably only using it to deal with or hide their emotional conflicts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:23% of GEN Z identify as Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans or other
9.8% Of Millennials
4.5 OF GEN X
2.3 Baby Boomers
1.1 Silet Gen..

Thoughts?

My initial thought is either you're making this up or it's not from a credible, statistically valid source.

You would be wrong. I've seen this all over the place. This is just one source.
https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/nearly-30-gen-z-adults-identify-lgbtq-national-survey-finds-rcna135510#

"The survey was
carried out among a representative sample of
6,616 participants, including an oversample of
teens 13-17 years old and adults 18-25 years
old, living in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, who are part of Ipsos’s KnowledgePanel and an additional 602 who were recruited by
Ipsos using opt-in survey panels to increase the
sample sizes in smaller states and 18-25 years
old."

This is known as sampling bias. They really contorted themselves with the weighting. I don't remember much from my graduate school statistics classes, but I'm a bit skeptical of this. To their credit, they're pretty transparent about the potential sampling bias. But bottom line is they seem to have attracted a lot of GenZ who are eager to talk about their identity than doing something truly random.

If you're skeptical it's only because you're way outside this demographic. This is entirely believable.

I’m outside this demographic and have a supposedly non-binary kid but opt-in polls are for sh!t.
https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/03/05/online-opt-in-polls-can-produce-misleading-results-especially-for-young-people-and-hispanic-adults/

Fascinating. Cite your own research with a different result then. We can all see this trend with our own eyes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:23% of GEN Z identify as Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans or other
9.8% Of Millennials
4.5 OF GEN X
2.3 Baby Boomers
1.1 Silet Gen..

Thoughts?

My initial thought is either you're making this up or it's not from a credible, statistically valid source.

You would be wrong. I've seen this all over the place. This is just one source.
https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/nearly-30-gen-z-adults-identify-lgbtq-national-survey-finds-rcna135510#

"The survey was
carried out among a representative sample of
6,616 participants, including an oversample of
teens 13-17 years old and adults 18-25 years
old, living in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, who are part of Ipsos’s KnowledgePanel and an additional 602 who were recruited by
Ipsos using opt-in survey panels to increase the
sample sizes in smaller states and 18-25 years
old."

This is known as sampling bias. They really contorted themselves with the weighting. I don't remember much from my graduate school statistics classes, but I'm a bit skeptical of this. To their credit, they're pretty transparent about the potential sampling bias. But bottom line is they seem to have attracted a lot of GenZ who are eager to talk about their identity than doing something truly random.

If you're skeptical it's only because you're way outside this demographic. This is entirely believable.

I’m outside this demographic and have a supposedly non-binary kid but opt-in polls are for sh!t.
https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/03/05/online-opt-in-polls-can-produce-misleading-results-especially-for-young-people-and-hispanic-adults/

I read the Pew report before seeing that you posted it here. Opt-in surveys are biased towards "yes." However, this survey had fewer than 10% opt-in and not all of it was for 18-25 year olds. That's not enough to skew the findings in a significant manner.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:23% of GEN Z identify as Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans or other
9.8% Of Millennials
4.5 OF GEN X
2.3 Baby Boomers
1.1 Silet Gen..

Thoughts?

My initial thought is either you're making this up or it's not from a credible, statistically valid source.

You would be wrong. I've seen this all over the place. This is just one source.
https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/nearly-30-gen-z-adults-identify-lgbtq-national-survey-finds-rcna135510#

"The survey was
carried out among a representative sample of
6,616 participants, including an oversample of
teens 13-17 years old and adults 18-25 years
old, living in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, who are part of Ipsos’s KnowledgePanel and an additional 602 who were recruited by
Ipsos using opt-in survey panels to increase the
sample sizes in smaller states and 18-25 years
old."

This is known as sampling bias. They really contorted themselves with the weighting. I don't remember much from my graduate school statistics classes, but I'm a bit skeptical of this. To their credit, they're pretty transparent about the potential sampling bias. But bottom line is they seem to have attracted a lot of GenZ who are eager to talk about their identity than doing something truly random.

Even if it's accurate, the fact that people posting here seem to be upset about the numbers is just ridiculous. Who cares if more people are happily admitting that they're queer? Let them live their lives. It's only straight cisgender people that think this number going up is somehow an issue. Most of the people identified as bisexual which isn't at all surprising. I'm sure there's a huge number of closeted bisexual people people in straight marriages in older generations. Again, who cares? They're nothing inherently wrong with being LGBTQ. We're literally just people like everyone else.

Because they’re not actually gay. People calll themselves queer and then only date opposite sex people. But calling themselves queer confers coolness on them. Frankly it’s insulting to the hard-fought battles of gays and lesbians for acceptance and equal rights under the law.

I’m not sure why it’s insulting. Isn’t there kind of an “I am Spartacus” effect? If everyone is saying they are gay (even if they aren’t), it makes it much harder to persecute gay people doesn’t it?

On the other hand, I can see it making it much harder for actual gay people to find real relationship when there are a bunch of “gay in name only” (Ginos?) out there.

[Anonymous]

I’d love to see these numbers broken down by biological sex.
Basically all my teen daughter’s friends are queer, trans, bi, etc.
I think only one of my son’s friends is.

I suspect part of it is trend, but also I suspect part of it is just biology. Women have always been more fluid on the Kinsey scale so there will always be more bi women. Plus young men have a lot of issues (maturity, sometimes hygiene, sometimes violence) and so dating other girls has a lot of advantages especially if you’re not really ready to have PIV sex. Again some of that is cultural (young women are less likely to put up with that from their partners than they were 50 years ago), but some of it is just biology — boys 13-25 have always been sort of problematic because of the slower brain maturation w/r/t impulse control in particular.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:23% of GEN Z identify as Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans or other
9.8% Of Millennials
4.5 OF GEN X
2.3 Baby Boomers
1.1 Silet Gen..

Thoughts?

My initial thought is either you're making this up or it's not from a credible, statistically valid source.

You would be wrong. I've seen this all over the place. This is just one source.
https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/nearly-30-gen-z-adults-identify-lgbtq-national-survey-finds-rcna135510#

"The survey was
carried out among a representative sample of
6,616 participants, including an oversample of
teens 13-17 years old and adults 18-25 years
old, living in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, who are part of Ipsos’s KnowledgePanel and an additional 602 who were recruited by
Ipsos using opt-in survey panels to increase the
sample sizes in smaller states and 18-25 years
old."

This is known as sampling bias. They really contorted themselves with the weighting. I don't remember much from my graduate school statistics classes, but I'm a bit skeptical of this. To their credit, they're pretty transparent about the potential sampling bias. But bottom line is they seem to have attracted a lot of GenZ who are eager to talk about their identity than doing something truly random.

Even if it's accurate, the fact that people posting here seem to be upset about the numbers is just ridiculous. Who cares if more people are happily admitting that they're queer? Let them live their lives. It's only straight cisgender people that think this number going up is somehow an issue. Most of the people identified as bisexual which isn't at all surprising. I'm sure there's a huge number of closeted bisexual people people in straight marriages in older generations. Again, who cares? They're nothing inherently wrong with being LGBTQ. We're literally just people like everyone else.

Because they’re not actually gay. People calll themselves queer and then only date opposite sex people. But calling themselves queer confers coolness on them. Frankly it’s insulting to the hard-fought battles of gays and lesbians for acceptance and equal rights under the law.

I’m not sure why it’s insulting. Isn’t there kind of an “I am Spartacus” effect? If everyone is saying they are gay (even if they aren’t), it makes it much harder to persecute gay people doesn’t it?

On the other hand, I can see it making it much harder for actual gay people to find real relationship when there are a bunch of “gay in name only” (Ginos?) out there.

Identifying as gay on a survey doesn't make it hard for someone to find a date. In the case of this survey, most people identified as bisexual. We already know that most bisexual people are in straight relationships because that's more socially acceptable and that's where the largest dating pool is. What I'm seeing in this thread are a couple of straight women getting really distraught and scandalized over the numbers going up.

Here's the way it usually works if you're curious. Someone is bisexual and dates only (or mostly) opposite gender partners. This person gets married and is in a straight marriage. They're monogamous and never date outside of marriage. They feel invalid and "not queer enough" so they don't go to Pride or to gay bars because they're in a straight marriage. If asked (or surveyed) if they're LGBTQ+, they'll say they're bisexual because they are. People not feeling queer enough is a really common queer experience - especially if they haven't been out for long or if they're in a straight passing relationship. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-queer-enough/id1694094256

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’d love to see these numbers broken down by biological sex.
Basically all my teen daughter’s friends are queer, trans, bi, etc.
I think only one of my son’s friends is.

I suspect part of it is trend, but also I suspect part of it is just biology. Women have always been more fluid on the Kinsey scale so there will always be more bi women. Plus young men have a lot of issues (maturity, sometimes hygiene, sometimes violence) and so dating other girls has a lot of advantages especially if you’re not really ready to have PIV sex. Again some of that is cultural (young women are less likely to put up with that from their partners than they were 50 years ago), but some of it is just biology — boys 13-25 have always been sort of problematic because of the slower brain maturation w/r/t impulse control in particular.

Most kids in school are straight, including most girls. The LGBTQ kids tend to be in a friend group together so if your daughter is queer, it makes sense that a lot of her friends are. It always amazes me when someone says that all the kids in school are gay because their kid's friends are gay. Even in gen Z, most kids are absolutely straight. Even this opt in survey shows that. It's your kid's friend group that gay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:23% of GEN Z identify as Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans or other
9.8% Of Millennials
4.5 OF GEN X
2.3 Baby Boomers
1.1 Silet Gen..

Thoughts?

My initial thought is either you're making this up or it's not from a credible, statistically valid source.

You would be wrong. I've seen this all over the place. This is just one source.
https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/nearly-30-gen-z-adults-identify-lgbtq-national-survey-finds-rcna135510#

"The survey was
carried out among a representative sample of
6,616 participants, including an oversample of
teens 13-17 years old and adults 18-25 years
old, living in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, who are part of Ipsos’s KnowledgePanel and an additional 602 who were recruited by
Ipsos using opt-in survey panels to increase the
sample sizes in smaller states and 18-25 years
old."

This is known as sampling bias. They really contorted themselves with the weighting. I don't remember much from my graduate school statistics classes, but I'm a bit skeptical of this. To their credit, they're pretty transparent about the potential sampling bias. But bottom line is they seem to have attracted a lot of GenZ who are eager to talk about their identity than doing something truly random.

Even if it's accurate, the fact that people posting here seem to be upset about the numbers is just ridiculous. Who cares if more people are happily admitting that they're queer? Let them live their lives. It's only straight cisgender people that think this number going up is somehow an issue. Most of the people identified as bisexual which isn't at all surprising. I'm sure there's a huge number of closeted bisexual people people in straight marriages in older generations. Again, who cares? They're nothing inherently wrong with being LGBTQ. We're literally just people like everyone else.

Because they’re not actually gay. People calll themselves queer and then only date opposite sex people. But calling themselves queer confers coolness on them. Frankly it’s insulting to the hard-fought battles of gays and lesbians for acceptance and equal rights under the law.

I’m not sure why it’s insulting. Isn’t there kind of an “I am Spartacus” effect? If everyone is saying they are gay (even if they aren’t), it makes it much harder to persecute gay people doesn’t it?

On the other hand, I can see it making it much harder for actual gay people to find real relationship when there are a bunch of “gay in name only” (Ginos?) out there.

Identifying as gay on a survey doesn't make it hard for someone to find a date. In the case of this survey, most people identified as bisexual. We already know that most bisexual people are in straight relationships because that's more socially acceptable and that's where the largest dating pool is. What I'm seeing in this thread are a couple of straight women getting really distraught and scandalized over the numbers going up.

Here's the way it usually works if you're curious. Someone is bisexual and dates only (or mostly) opposite gender partners. This person gets married and is in a straight marriage. They're monogamous and never date outside of marriage. They feel invalid and "not queer enough" so they don't go to Pride or to gay bars because they're in a straight marriage. If asked (or surveyed) if they're LGBTQ+, they'll say they're bisexual because they are. People not feeling queer enough is a really common queer experience - especially if they haven't been out for long or if they're in a straight passing relationship. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-queer-enough/id1694094256

NP. I am fine with these numbers, and they do reflect what I see in real life. Actually I love that Gen Z is comfortable expressing themselves.

However, the bolded is an inaccurate and overly defensive reading of the thread. It is perfectly reasonable to question both statistics presented and philosophical underpinnings of belief. That should in fact happen in any reasoned and solid discussion.

But you are dedicated to minimizing and rejecting any criticism by attempting to mischaracterize and misrepresent even the mildest of critics. I mean, one of the PPs you are responding to said they are gay. But I suppose this is expected. IMO one of the biggest issues facing the LBGTQ+ community now is the cult-like adherence to rigorous suppression of any discussion, any questioning, and any debate. That hasn’t always been the case; I’m old enough to remember pitched debates about whether B should be part of LGB, for instance (and that was something personal to me). But nowadays it feels that LGBTQ+ also means pledging absolute allegiance to the suppression of any philosophical or scientific analysis that might contradict the party line, including frantic attempts to silence or minimize even the mildest of critics or questions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:23% of GEN Z identify as Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans or other
9.8% Of Millennials
4.5 OF GEN X
2.3 Baby Boomers
1.1 Silet Gen..

Thoughts?

My initial thought is either you're making this up or it's not from a credible, statistically valid source.

You would be wrong. I've seen this all over the place. This is just one source.
https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/nearly-30-gen-z-adults-identify-lgbtq-national-survey-finds-rcna135510#

"The survey was
carried out among a representative sample of
6,616 participants, including an oversample of
teens 13-17 years old and adults 18-25 years
old, living in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, who are part of Ipsos’s KnowledgePanel and an additional 602 who were recruited by
Ipsos using opt-in survey panels to increase the
sample sizes in smaller states and 18-25 years
old."

This is known as sampling bias. They really contorted themselves with the weighting. I don't remember much from my graduate school statistics classes, but I'm a bit skeptical of this. To their credit, they're pretty transparent about the potential sampling bias. But bottom line is they seem to have attracted a lot of GenZ who are eager to talk about their identity than doing something truly random.

Even if it's accurate, the fact that people posting here seem to be upset about the numbers is just ridiculous. Who cares if more people are happily admitting that they're queer? Let them live their lives. It's only straight cisgender people that think this number going up is somehow an issue. Most of the people identified as bisexual which isn't at all surprising. I'm sure there's a huge number of closeted bisexual people people in straight marriages in older generations. Again, who cares? They're nothing inherently wrong with being LGBTQ. We're literally just people like everyone else.

Because they’re not actually gay. People calll themselves queer and then only date opposite sex people. But calling themselves queer confers coolness on them. Frankly it’s insulting to the hard-fought battles of gays and lesbians for acceptance and equal rights under the law.

I’m not sure why it’s insulting. Isn’t there kind of an “I am Spartacus” effect? If everyone is saying they are gay (even if they aren’t), it makes it much harder to persecute gay people doesn’t it?

On the other hand, I can see it making it much harder for actual gay people to find real relationship when there are a bunch of “gay in name only” (Ginos?) out there.

Identifying as gay on a survey doesn't make it hard for someone to find a date. In the case of this survey, most people identified as bisexual. We already know that most bisexual people are in straight relationships because that's more socially acceptable and that's where the largest dating pool is. What I'm seeing in this thread are a couple of straight women getting really distraught and scandalized over the numbers going up.

Here's the way it usually works if you're curious. Someone is bisexual and dates only (or mostly) opposite gender partners. This person gets married and is in a straight marriage. They're monogamous and never date outside of marriage. They feel invalid and "not queer enough" so they don't go to Pride or to gay bars because they're in a straight marriage. If asked (or surveyed) if they're LGBTQ+, they'll say they're bisexual because they are. People not feeling queer enough is a really common queer experience - especially if they haven't been out for long or if they're in a straight passing relationship. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-queer-enough/id1694094256

I doubt that any of the anti-trans posters are straight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:23% of GEN Z identify as Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans or other
9.8% Of Millennials
4.5 OF GEN X
2.3 Baby Boomers
1.1 Silet Gen..

Thoughts?

My initial thought is either you're making this up or it's not from a credible, statistically valid source.

You would be wrong. I've seen this all over the place. This is just one source.
https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/nearly-30-gen-z-adults-identify-lgbtq-national-survey-finds-rcna135510#

"The survey was
carried out among a representative sample of
6,616 participants, including an oversample of
teens 13-17 years old and adults 18-25 years
old, living in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, who are part of Ipsos’s KnowledgePanel and an additional 602 who were recruited by
Ipsos using opt-in survey panels to increase the
sample sizes in smaller states and 18-25 years
old."

This is known as sampling bias. They really contorted themselves with the weighting. I don't remember much from my graduate school statistics classes, but I'm a bit skeptical of this. To their credit, they're pretty transparent about the potential sampling bias. But bottom line is they seem to have attracted a lot of GenZ who are eager to talk about their identity than doing something truly random.

Even if it's accurate, the fact that people posting here seem to be upset about the numbers is just ridiculous. Who cares if more people are happily admitting that they're queer? Let them live their lives. It's only straight cisgender people that think this number going up is somehow an issue. Most of the people identified as bisexual which isn't at all surprising. I'm sure there's a huge number of closeted bisexual people people in straight marriages in older generations. Again, who cares? They're nothing inherently wrong with being LGBTQ. We're literally just people like everyone else.

Because they’re not actually gay. People calll themselves queer and then only date opposite sex people. But calling themselves queer confers coolness on them. Frankly it’s insulting to the hard-fought battles of gays and lesbians for acceptance and equal rights under the law.

I’m not sure why it’s insulting. Isn’t there kind of an “I am Spartacus” effect? If everyone is saying they are gay (even if they aren’t), it makes it much harder to persecute gay people doesn’t it?

On the other hand, I can see it making it much harder for actual gay people to find real relationship when there are a bunch of “gay in name only” (Ginos?) out there.

Identifying as gay on a survey doesn't make it hard for someone to find a date. In the case of this survey, most people identified as bisexual. We already know that most bisexual people are in straight relationships because that's more socially acceptable and that's where the largest dating pool is. What I'm seeing in this thread are a couple of straight women getting really distraught and scandalized over the numbers going up.

Here's the way it usually works if you're curious. Someone is bisexual and dates only (or mostly) opposite gender partners. This person gets married and is in a straight marriage. They're monogamous and never date outside of marriage. They feel invalid and "not queer enough" so they don't go to Pride or to gay bars because they're in a straight marriage. If asked (or surveyed) if they're LGBTQ+, they'll say they're bisexual because they are. People not feeling queer enough is a really common queer experience - especially if they haven't been out for long or if they're in a straight passing relationship. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-queer-enough/id1694094256

I doubt that any of the anti-trans posters are straight.

Most people that comment on this board are straight women.

[Anonymous]

I don't get terminology of straight and gay. Neither all "straight" people are uncomplicated nor all "gay" people are happy. Why can't we come up with more fitting terms? Where is grammar police?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:23% of GEN Z identify as Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans or other
9.8% Of Millennials
4.5 OF GEN X
2.3 Baby Boomers
1.1 Silet Gen..

Thoughts?

My initial thought is either you're making this up or it's not from a credible, statistically valid source.

You would be wrong. I've seen this all over the place. This is just one source.
https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/nearly-30-gen-z-adults-identify-lgbtq-national-survey-finds-rcna135510#

"The survey was
carried out among a representative sample of
6,616 participants, including an oversample of
teens 13-17 years old and adults 18-25 years
old, living in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, who are part of Ipsos’s KnowledgePanel and an additional 602 who were recruited by
Ipsos using opt-in survey panels to increase the
sample sizes in smaller states and 18-25 years
old."

This is known as sampling bias. They really contorted themselves with the weighting. I don't remember much from my graduate school statistics classes, but I'm a bit skeptical of this. To their credit, they're pretty transparent about the potential sampling bias. But bottom line is they seem to have attracted a lot of GenZ who are eager to talk about their identity than doing something truly random.

Even if it's accurate, the fact that people posting here seem to be upset about the numbers is just ridiculous. Who cares if more people are happily admitting that they're queer? Let them live their lives. It's only straight cisgender people that think this number going up is somehow an issue. Most of the people identified as bisexual which isn't at all surprising. I'm sure there's a huge number of closeted bisexual people people in straight marriages in older generations. Again, who cares? They're nothing inherently wrong with being LGBTQ. We're literally just people like everyone else.

Because they’re not actually gay. People calll themselves queer and then only date opposite sex people. But calling themselves queer confers coolness on them. Frankly it’s insulting to the hard-fought battles of gays and lesbians for acceptance and equal rights under the law.

It's not, though. Yes, some radfem lesbians don't love the ways that the youth play with gender and sexuality, but there are always old folks who find the young folks annoying.

I'm a Gen X queer woman who has been "out" since I was 15. Before marriage equality, before widespread acceptance, back when "Pride Parades" weren't sponsored by Smirnoff. I've spent my entire adult life in this movement, which also means I've spent years talking to folks who have been in it longer than I have, the ones who lived on separatist lesbian communes in the 70s and the ones who lost a generation of friends to AIDS.

So let me tell you that us elder gays don't care. We love the young queers. They are funny and fierce and brave and political. Their victories don't take away from our fight. We are proud of them, and happy that they can be thoroughly themselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree that sexual orientation and gender identity should be separated. These are not the same for the older generations

They have blurred for he younger generations where playing around with both is now the norm and you can be multiple different sexual orientations and 5 different gender identities over the course of a few years.

When I was younger there was this big focus on sexual orientation can not be changed, you are who you are, you don't get to choose...and now it that is gone and you can change your sexual orientation as often as you want.

However I think this is generational like everything else. The big hot topic of each generation leads to positive changes in future generations. Once everyone is LGBTQ+, it will move on as then no one is unique and it isn't interesting to define yourself that way anymore. Then we will see the % drop back to a realistic number and the next thing will be the craze.

I'm Gen-X and the bolded is the part I have a problem with/can't accept because of how our generation was taught/it goes against my beliefs.

I was taught and do believe that gay people are born gay. It's just part of their biological makeup just the way being straight is part of other's biological makeup. Reading a book did not make these people gay, watching certain movies did not make them gay, being around gay people did not make them gay. Nothing made them gay, it's just the way they were born.

Just like conversion therapy doesn't work because how can you change what is part of your biological makeup? You may beat into submission the gay kids but please no conversion therapy! You can't change these kids! It's the way they were born!

Now this generation believes you can change your sexual orientation as often as you want...like I said, that goes against what I believe and what we were taught that sexual orientation is something you were just born with and it is part of your biology. If we are now saying it can be changed, isn't that giving ammunition to groups who believe conversion therapy can work? Well, if they chose their sexual orientation we can make them go to conversion therapy so they can choose to be straight. Or if they choose their sexual orientation, we can limit books/movies/bad social influences who make them choose to be gay.

I don't believe in choice in this matter.

As far as more and more girls identifying as queer...teenage girls have always been touchy feely. That is fine. I think what's also happening is there is now more lack of social skills between sexes? Some girls aren't finding boys for whatever reason - the boys lack the social skills the girls would want in a guy, the girls also lack social skills to be with guys. So what they do is they turn to friends and just be touchy feely with them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree that sexual orientation and gender identity should be separated. These are not the same for the older generations

They have blurred for he younger generations where playing around with both is now the norm and you can be multiple different sexual orientations and 5 different gender identities over the course of a few years.

When I was younger there was this big focus on sexual orientation can not be changed, you are who you are, you don't get to choose...and now it that is gone and you can change your sexual orientation as often as you want.

However I think this is generational like everything else. The big hot topic of each generation leads to positive changes in future generations. Once everyone is LGBTQ+, it will move on as then no one is unique and it isn't interesting to define yourself that way anymore. Then we will see the % drop back to a realistic number and the next thing will be the craze.

I'm Gen-X and the bolded is the part I have a problem with/can't accept because of how our generation was taught/it goes against my beliefs.

I was taught and do believe that gay people are born gay. It's just part of their biological makeup just the way being straight is part of other's biological makeup. Reading a book did not make these people gay, watching certain movies did not make them gay, being around gay people did not make them gay. Nothing made them gay, it's just the way they were born.

Just like conversion therapy doesn't work because how can you change what is part of your biological makeup? You may beat into submission the gay kids but please no conversion therapy! You can't change these kids! It's the way they were born!

Now this generation believes you can change your sexual orientation as often as you want...like I said, that goes against what I believe and what we were taught that sexual orientation is something you were just born with and it is part of your biology. If we are now saying it can be changed, isn't that giving ammunition to groups who believe conversion therapy can work? Well, if they chose their sexual orientation we can make them go to conversion therapy so they can choose to be straight. Or if they choose their sexual orientation, we can limit books/movies/bad social influences who make them choose to be gay.

I don't believe in choice in this matter.

As far as more and more girls identifying as queer...teenage girls have always been touchy feely. That is fine. I think what's also happening is there is now more lack of social skills between sexes? Some girls aren't finding boys for whatever reason - the boys lack the social skills the girls would want in a guy, the girls also lack social skills to be with guys. So what they do is they turn to friends and just be touchy feely with them.

This is a really valid point. I’m a millennial and I understand what you mean about conversion therapy; I remember when that was a mainstream threat. I think the distinction for me at least is that you can both be born some way and also it can change over the course of your life. I didn’t choose to be attracted to women but how I’m attracted to them has changed over the years. When I was in my 20s for example, I had sex with men too and enjoyed it. These days I cannot imagine wanting to have sex with a man. I guess you could say I used to be bisexual and am now lesbian but I don’t think an external influence like society or conversion therapy or video games could change who I was attracted to — it was an internal change not a choice. I think it makes sense that as our hormones change over the course of a lifetime the labels society uses to pidgeon hole sexuality change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People are more open to having different labels. I'm a millennial and would never tell someone that I'm bi, but am I attracted to women? Absolutely.

Everyone is “attracted to women” as a concept. Generally speaking, women are the more beautiful of the two genders. They physical female form is simply more appealing. Many heterosexual women are “attracted to” other women, and not necessarily in an explicitly sexual way.