Google searches for phrases such as “am I gay,” “am I lesbian,” “am I trans,” or “how to come out,” have skyrocketed by 1300% since 2004, according to The Cultural Currents Institute.
“An examination of Google Trends data from 2004 to 2023 highlights a steep rise in queries questioning personal sexual orientation and gender identity, with such searches surging over 1300%,” the analysis notes.
Searches for the term “am I gay” are highest in Utah, Iowa, Indiana, West Virginia, and New Hampshire. Leading states for the question “am I trans,” are Utah, Kentucky, Colorado, Michigan, and Washington. (RELATED: All Ages Drag Show Hosted At Air Force Base Despite Defense Secretary’s Assurances)
The Cultural Currents Institute collected data from Google Trends from January 2004 to May 2023.
An examination of data shows a steep rise in Google searches questioning sexual orientation and gender identity, with searches surging over 1300%. This article explores the trends for these terms across all 50 states.https://t.co/CXD9GWvHxk
— Queer Lives Matter (@qlmoffical) May 21, 2023
“The evolution of social attitudes around sexual orientation and gender identity over the last two decades has been profound — surprising even some of the foremost political consultants and public affairs practitioners who observe opinion in the space,” the analysis reads. “This shift in public conversation and awareness has, for many, given rise to questions about their own sexual and gender identity. Google Trends data from 2004 to 2023 presents a unique opportunity to explore this evolution from a novel angle, revealing a staggering 1300% increase in specific searches that may indicate that a user is questioning their sexual identity.”
Nearly half of the 1.6 million Americans who identify as transgender are teenagers or young adults, according to a 2022 study by the University of California Los Angeles Williams Institute. A 2023 Washington Post study on the increased number of children identifying as transgender found that most don’t consistently identify as or present themselves as the opposite sex even if they identify as transgender.