According to a new study done by Gallup, most LGBTQ+ adults come out to their friends and family by age 22, however 18% of people surveyed in the United States study, said they have never come out to anyone.
LGBTQ+ people know who they are from a young age — but some of them have never let their loved ones know.
The majority of LGBTQ+ adults figured out their sexuality or gender identity when they were young, according to a new report from Gallup, in which 48%of respondents said they knew by the age of 14% and 72% came to the realisation by the age of 18, with the median age being 14.
57% of LGBTQ+ adults reported coming out to their friends and family by age 22, with 71% coming out before turning 30. However, 18% said they have never come out to anyone.
In general, people have significantly changed in terms of the way they view LGBTIQ+ folk, including their perceptions of the morality of same-sex relations and views on LGBTIQ+ rights, the report states.
"As society has shifted in its views, it has had little bearing on the timing when LGBTQ+ people became aware of their own personal identity, but it has had a great impact on when these individuals have chosen to share their identity with others."
As they are more likely to come out, gay or lesbian people (24%) are twice as likely as bisexual people (12%) to say they have received more poor treatment or harassment in the past year compared to previous years.
Overall, about one in four LGBTQ+ adults report receiving poor treatment or harassment "frequently" (5%) or "occasionally" (19%) because of their sexual orientation.
"Societal changes are no guarantee against discrimination, which one in four LGBTQ+ adults report having experienced in the past year and gay or lesbian people, in particular, are vulnerable to experiencing," the report concludes.
READ FUSE ONLINE
READ FUSE DIGITAL