Demography of LGBTQ+ Communities: New findings and methodological challenges

Présenté par : Gary J. Gates (Research Director (retired), Williams Institute, UCLA) ; Discutante : Tania Lejbowicz (Ined/Université Paris Nanterre)

This presentation will review recent estimates of the size and demographic characteristics of LGBTQ+ communities in the United States, particularly couples. While population-based data sources remain limited, data do convincingly show that increasing numbers of adults, particularly young adults, are identifying their sexual and gender identities outside of cisgender, heterosexual norms and are using more varied identity terminology. Fairly rapid changes in who and how people identify as LGBTQ+ create challenges in assessing demographic, health and socio-economic characteristics that can guide policies designed to improve community health and well-being. New data from the US National Institutes of Health-funded National Couples’ Health and Time Study provide a rare opportunity to explore the dynamics of sexual and gender identities within couples, particularly outside of the constraints of binary gender categorizations. Findings reveal complex distinctions that go well beyond same- and different-sex couple designations. The presentation will conclude with a consideration of methodological and analytical challenges facing researchers focused on LGBTQ+ communities as population-based data collection efforts become more common and widely available.