(KCBS Radio) — A survey spanning the globe found more young people than ever identify as non-heterosexual: one out of every five.
The LGBT+ Pride 2021 Global Survey spotlights the generational gap surrounding gender identity and sexual attraction. More than 19,000 people ages 16 to 74 responded to the online questionnaire from Ipsos between April and May.
Researchers say young adults are much more likely to identify as something other than heterosexual or to say they are attracted to both sexes. Generation Z respondents, born after 1997, were four times more likely than those over 40 to identify as transgender, nonbinary, gender-nonconforming or gender-fluid.
Overall, 9% of people identified as something other than heterosexual. For Gen Z, it doubled to 18%.
India leads the world in terms of the non-heterosexual population, with 17% of people in the republic identifying as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or other. China and Korea had the lowest percentages.
In most countries, researchers found most people support the free expression of sexual orientation or gender identity. But not all of the countries surveyed have laws that protect LGBTQ people from discrimination or sanction same-sex unions.
More than 52% of Russian respondents do not believe same-sex couples should be allowed to marry or obtain any kind of legal recognition.