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-   -   What % of the US population is gay? (https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/showthread.php?t=249854)

  • Aug 17, 2008, 12:16 PM
    Always_helping
    What % of the US population is gay?
    Hi all.

    What percentage of the U.S. population do you believe is gay? 5%? 10%? 20%? Higher?

    Why do you believe so? Feel free to cite reliable statistics and/or studies.

    Peace.

    AH
  • Aug 17, 2008, 12:27 PM
    N0help4u
    The 2000 census

    * there are 105.5 million households in the USA;
    * 595,000 consist of same sex partners. (nearly 1.2 million gay people)
    From what I looked up it was around 15% in 2000.

    The population is around three hundred billion.
    U.S. and World Population Clocks - POPClocks
  • Aug 17, 2008, 12:46 PM
    Always_helping
    OK, the US population is 300 million. (I believe you errantly typed "billion").

    So you believe the gay population in the US is 15% of 300 million? (45 million people).

    You mentioned you looked it up and I'd like to know where you arrived at 15%.

    Thank you.
  • Aug 17, 2008, 12:52 PM
    N0help4u
    This is what the link I gave says to be exact
    August 17, 2008

    U.S. 304,897,506
    World 6,717,443,035
    ----------------
    The 2000 census

    I am sure it is higher now


    *the 105.5 million is household NOT population
  • Aug 19, 2008, 12:42 AM
    0rphan
    Hi Always,

    How many people we estimate are homosexual depends how we define homosexuality.

    Many more people experience sexual feelings for someone of the same sex, than report recent sexual experience with someone of the same sex.

    Because homosexuality is stigmatised it is more likely to be under than over the report.

    There have been efforts to try and come up with a percentage, but in reality, they cannot be correct.

    So in answer to your question... no idea
  • Aug 19, 2008, 11:47 AM
    Always_helping
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by 0rphan
    hi Always,

    How many people we estimate are homosexual depends how we define homosexuality.

    Many more people experience sexual feelings for someone of the same sex, than report recent sexual experience with someone of the same sex.

    Because homosexuality is stigmatised it is more likely to be under than over the report.

    There have been efforts to try and come up with a percentage, but in reality, they cannot be correct.

    So in answer to your question......no idea

    Hi Orphan,

    First of all I do appreciate your response. I just have some follow-up that perhaps you can comment on.

    Second, how do we define homosexuality? For the sake of discussion, let's say it is an adult (18 years of age or older) who calls hismelf/herself gay (self-report).

    Homosexuality is stigmatized? Anyone else have comments on this?

    Now, do you have an *estmate* in your mind of what percentage of the population of the US is gay? In other words, if a newscaster reported that the gay population of the US is 50%, would you believe it? What if he reported 80%? Or 5%?

    I guess a better question is what percentage do you accept as being most accurate?

    I look forward to your response and I will rate your answer soon.

    Peace.

    AH
  • Aug 19, 2008, 12:19 PM
    wildandblue
    Since military doesn't allow gays, I would think percentage would go up if there is a draft. Or if states vote gays have the same rights as other minorities as far as discrimination, the number may go up too. Not trying to be a jerk here, just realistic.
  • Aug 19, 2008, 01:01 PM
    Always_helping
    Fair enough. I hear what you are saying.

    May I ask your opinion on the following question?

    So what do you believe is the percentage of gay people in the United States?

    I look forward to rating your answer.

    Peace.

    AH
  • Aug 19, 2008, 04:40 PM
    N0help4u
    Wild and blue the military accepts gays with the no ask no tell rule for over 8 years now.

    In 2000 the estimate was 15% according to the census
    I would bet that it is closer to 20% - 30% by now.
  • Aug 19, 2008, 04:55 PM
    Fr_Chuck
    I believe that the percent is for over inflated by special interest groups wanting to make it appear much more popular than it is actually. I would personally doubt much more than 5 percent over all in the US.
  • Aug 19, 2008, 08:12 PM
    Always_helping
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by N0help4u
    wild and blue the military accepts gays with the no ask no tell rule for over 8 years now.

    <snip>

    Thanks for the clarification on the don't ask don't tell rule in the military. I wasn't sure about it myself.

    AH
  • Aug 19, 2008, 08:15 PM
    sGt HarDKorE
    I believe it is 15%-25%
  • Aug 19, 2008, 09:20 PM
    simoneaugie
    Acted out publicly, admitted, 15-20%. In the genes? 50%. Humans are sexual first, procreative second.
  • Aug 19, 2008, 09:36 PM
    jjwoodhull
    I have often heard that 1 in 10 people (10%) is homosexual. I have nothing to back this up with, it's just something I've come to believe because I've heard it so many times.
  • Aug 19, 2008, 10:12 PM
    Always_helping
    Elaborate on the following: Genetically speaking, 50% of us are gay.

    I am not sure I understand your point of view.

    Best wishes.

    AH
  • Aug 20, 2008, 01:18 AM
    0rphan
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Always_helping
    Hi Orphan,

    First of all I do appreciate your response. I just have some follow-up that perhaps you can comment on.

    Second, how do we define homosexuality? For the sake of discussion, let's say it is an adult (18 years of age or older) who calls hismelf/herself gay (self-report).

    Homosexuality is stigmatized? Anyone else have comments on this?

    Now, do you have an *estmate* in your mind of what percentage of the population of the US is gay? In other words, if a newscaster reported that the gay population of the US is 50%, would you believe it? What if he reported 80%? or 5%?

    I guess a better question is what percentage do you accept as being most accurate?

    I look forward to your response and I will rate your answer soon.

    Peace.

    AH


    Hi Always,

    Homosexuality... 2 people same sex in a sexual relationship

    Stigmatized... many people in society will not accept same sex relationships, for various reasons e.g.. Religious beliefs, moral values, sex =1 man 1woman, abnormal behaviour for human beings.
    They are sometimes ridiculed, dis- owned by their family, pointed at in the street etc etc..
    for this reason many do not admit their sexual gender.

    So back to your question on %.. again I have to refer to my previous post... no idea... but since you've asked...

    USA... gay population, my GUESSTIMATION... 40 % overall
  • Aug 20, 2008, 03:49 PM
    simoneaugie
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Always_helping
    Elaborate on the following: Genetically speaking, 50% of us are gay.

    I am not sure I understand your point of view.

    Best wishes.

    AH

    The way it was explained to me is, "imagine a line, a 'bell curve' line. On one end are a few John Waynes, at the other far end are the totally feminine. There are more in the middle than at either end, and we are all on that line, somewhere, and we sometimes move along it."

    Expecting a human to only be at one end or the other due to religious or societal ideas is asking for conflict. And that's exactly what we get. The only reason for exclusively heterosexual relations is procreation and providinng for the well-being of our offspring.

    The laws and regulations dictating who can marry, or get a license to have sex with whom are not based on human well-being. Do the laws change where someone truly is along that bell curve?
  • Aug 21, 2008, 07:45 AM
    wildandblue
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by N0help4u
    wild and blue the military accepts gays with the no ask no tell rule for over 8 years now.

    In 2000 the estimate was 15% according to the census
    I would bet that it is closer to 20% - 30% by now.

    Yes, true but if a person who was not gay, said he was he could get out of military service for that reason if he were drafted. That is what I was getting at.
  • Aug 21, 2008, 07:58 AM
    wildandblue
    Yes you are trying to statically define something, but people are not static they change all the time. And the figures showing US households, remember a household would be two people at least so the figure would be doubled, I mean both partners in that household would be gay, right? And doesn't take into account those who are single without partners or who are not actually active but still feel that way. I can tell you this, I have heard, an X chromosome can be damaged so that an "arm" breaks off, causing it to look and act like a Y chromosome even though it is an X. And I also can tell you from raising turkeys and ducks and chickens, there are more than two sexes of chickens. There is a bird that looks very much like a hen but grows a small comb, doesn't lay eggs and crows just like a rooster. My father also a farmer used to call them "hennies" like Henny Penny I don't know wwhy they are like that, and anyhow birds are not mammals. Also that a rooster sometimes does not act like a rooster either, doesn't grow a comb, goes broody etc. but of course he doesn't lay eggs!
  • Aug 24, 2008, 11:51 AM
    Allheart
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Always_helping
    Hi all.

    What percentage of the U.S. population do you believe is gay? 5%? 10%? 20%? Higher?

    Why do you believe so? Feel free to cite reliable statistics and/or studies.

    Peace.

    AH


    I would hope with all my heart that 100% of the US is gay. I wish everyone to be happy and carefree.

    That's what gay means to me "Happy". Actually I wish the whole world were gay, happy and carfree.

    No pain, no suffering, no hurts and no labels. :)

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