LGBTQ people are coming out at younger ages, according to a new Gallup survey, with many citing greater societal acceptance of the queer community over the last decade.
Among the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender adults and other non-heterosexual or cisgender respondents, over two thirds — 71 percent — said they had shared their identity with others before the age of 30. More than over half — 57 percent — said they did so before the age of 22.
This number was even lower for LGBTQ respondents belonging to the youngest age bracket; those aged 18 to 29 were found to come out at a median age of 17.
A small number of respondents said they came out later in life, at 50 or older. Eighteen percent said they hadn’t come out to anyone.
The survey also found that most came to terms with their sexuality or gender identity during adolescence. Almost half — 48 percent — said they knew that they were LGBTQ by age 14, and 72 percent reported coming to the realization by the time they turned 18.
The findings reflect changing attitudes toward LGBTQ individuals, something that most respondents agreed had improved in recent years.
A separate Gallup poll in June found that over two thirds of Americans—69 percent—believe same-sex marriage should be legal. Sixty-four percent said they think gay and lesbian relationships are “morally acceptable.”
Seventy percent of adults in Friday’s survey said social acceptance and treatment of LGBTQ people has “gotten a lot” or “gotten a little” better in the past 10 years, though roughly one-quarter of LGBTQ adults said they had received poor treatment or harassment “frequently” or “occassionally” in the past year due to their sexual orientation.
More than 500 anti-LGBTQ bills were filed this year in state legislatures, according to the American Civil Liberties Union, while the latest FBI crimes report found a sharp rise in the number of reported LGBTQ hate crimes.
