The trend: The number of lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT+) people in the US continues to grow, with one of five adults in Generation Z identifying as members of this group, per Gallup.

Our demographic snapshot on this community makes the following points:

Undercounted: Many LGBT+ people are hesitant to respond to questions about identity, and surveys lack a consistent method to track the group’s numbers, complicating efforts to measure the population.

Not just gay or straight: Components of LGBT+ identity span multiple dimensions, including sexual orientation, gender identification, and the biological traits that define the strict male-female binary.

Inequities and bias: Discrimination is a threat to the lives of LGBT+ individuals in significant ways. Though strides have been made in the US toward LGBT+ equality, there is no national law offering LGBT+ population protection in various dimensions of social life. What’s more, there has been an increase in state-level anti-LGBT+ laws and bills in recent years.

Go further: Read more about the LGBT+ population in our Demographic Snapshot: LGBT+.