Pride Month Stats: Facts speak louder than fear
It’s Flashcard Fridays at Math! Science! History!, the podcast where numbers aren’t just facts, they’re frameworks for understanding our world. It is June, and we are kicking off Pride Month. So let’s get our rainbow flags and celebrate our loved ones who are part of the LGBTQ community. Though it is officially recognized in June in the United States and the United Kingdom, celebrations began in June and throughout the year in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Ireland, Brazil, and South Africa. But, before we begin, first a word from my advertisers.
So, on today’s Flashcard episode I’m going to talk about something both urgent and deeply human: the math behind the misinformation targeting LGBTQ+ and especially transgender communities. I’ll be providing statistics and data that you can find on my website at mathsciencehistory.com.
Right now, especially in the United States, we are witnessing a disturbing trend of politicians, pundits, and public policies increasingly targeting LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly trans youth and adults. These efforts are often justified under the guise of safety, tradition, or parental rights. But what happens when we pause and look at the actual data?
How big is the LGBTQ+ population? How many people identify as transgender? And when it comes to questions of harm, who is actually causing it? Let’s take a closer look at the numbers, because when fear leads the conversation, facts have to speak louder.
POPULATION STATISTICS
Let’s begin with the basics: just how many people identify as LGBTQ+ or transgender?
According to Gallup’s most recent polling in 2023, about 7.6% of adults in the United States identify as LGBTQ+. That includes people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or use other labels to describe their gender and sexual orientation.
Within that group, the percentage of adults who identify as transgender is much smaller, just 0.6 to 0.8%, depending on which study you consult. That means that out of 1,000 people, roughly six to eight identify as transgender.
Among young people, those aged 13 to 17, the number is slightly higher. Estimates suggest that 1.4 to 1.9% of U.S. teens identify as transgender. Still, we’re talking about a very small portion of the population, less than 2%. That’s fewer than 2 in 100 teenagers.
So, when you hear public officials claiming that trans people are “everywhere,” influencing culture and posing dangers in schools and bathrooms, remember the math. They are not a tidal wave; they are a small stream trying to flow through a system built without them in mind.
What’s more, many trans people are not publicly “out.” The fear of being targeted, assaulted, or discriminated against leads many to conceal their identity. So even those modest percentages may underrepresent the full picture.
Also, these aren’t just numbers; they’re people. Humans. Moms. Dads. Co-workers. Teachers. Students. Veterans. Neighbors. Aunts. Uncles. Grandparents. And they make up less than 1% of adults in America.
HARMFUL NARRATIVES
One of the most harmful narratives used to justify anti-trans policies is the idea that transgender people pose a danger, especially in bathrooms, locker rooms, or schools. But that claim isn’t just misleading, it’s statistically false.
Let’s start with a difficult but essential truth: the overwhelming majority of sexual violence against children and women is committed by cisgender, heterosexual men. According to the U.S. Department of Justice:
- Over 85% of sexual abuse against children is committed by men who identify as straight and cisgender.
- Most perpetrators are not strangers, but rather family members, coaches, clergy, or teachers.
In contrast, there is no credible evidence showing that transgender people pose a risk in bathrooms or changing rooms. Multiple studies, including reports from the American Academy of Pediatrics and UCLA’s Williams Institute, have found zero increase in safety incidents in jurisdictions that allow people to use bathrooms that match their gender identity.
Meanwhile, the rates of victimization within the LGBTQ+ community are staggering:
- Transgender individuals, especially Black and Latina trans women, face some of the highest rates of fatal violence in the U.S. and globally.
- In 2023, over 320 transgender people worldwide were murdered, mostly in Brazil, Mexico, and the United States. These are intentional hate crimes, not accidents.
- According to The Trevor Project, over 50% of transgender and nonbinary youth reported seriously considering suicide in the past year.
- 1 in 3 transgender people report being homeless or housing insecure at some point in their lives.
So, transgender individuals are not the threat. They are overwhelmingly the targets, of violence, discrimination, mental health crises, and political scapegoating.
And here’s a valid question: when a government devotes more energy to banning drag shows than to addressing gun violence or domestic abuse, what does that say about their priorities?
THE LEGISLATIVE LANDSCAPE
Now, let’s look at the wave of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation spreading across the United States.
In 2023 alone, over 550 anti-LGBTQ+ bills were introduced in state legislatures, including Texas, with 128 bills, Missouri, with 67 bills, West Virginia, with 35 bills, and other states including Florida, Tennessee, Oklahoma, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Alabama, and Georgia.
. Many of these bills:
- Restrict or ban gender-affirming healthcare for trans youth.
- Prevent trans athletes, especially girls, from competing in school sports.
- Censor books or curriculum that mention LGBTQ+ identities.
- Allow healthcare workers or public employees to refuse services based on “conscience” clauses.
These laws are often defended with the idea of protecting children. But here’s what the science says:
- Gender-affirming care, which includes therapy, hormone blockers, and in rare cases, surgery, reduces depression and suicide risk in transgender youth.
- The American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics all support access to gender-affirming care.
- Denying this care has no scientific justification and is considered harmful by every major medical association in the country.
These policies are not data-driven. They are fear-driven. And when laws are written to punish people for simply existing, it affects more than health, it affects dignity, safety, and future opportunity.
So what do the numbers really tell us?
They tell us that LGBTQ+ people, and especially transgender individuals, are a tiny portion of the population, and yet they bear a massive portion of society’s judgment and fear.
They are not the cause of harm. They are the ones most likely to experience harm.
They are not invading society, they are trying to survive in it.
In this moment, statistics are not just academic, they are armor. They are the antidote to propaganda. And they are a reminder that when fear distorts the truth, it is our job, yours and mine, to set the record straight.
So the next time someone claims trans people are dangerous, or LGBTQ+ rights are “too much”, ask them this: What do the numbers say?
Because the math doesn’t lie. But those who abuse power often do.
Thank you for tuning into Flashcard Fridays at Math! Science! History! Where numbers meet humanity, and facts speak louder than fear. Until next time, carpe diem!
Resources
Gallup: LGBTQ+ Identification Rises to 7.6% in U.S.
UCLA Williams Institute: Transgender Population Estimates
The Trevor Project: 2023 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health
ACLU: Legislative Attacks on LGBTQ Rights
Trans Murder Monitoring Report (TGEU)