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More young people in UK 'identifying as LGB', ONS finds | More young people in UK 'identifying as LGB', ONS finds |
(about 1 hour later) | |
The proportion of UK young people who identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual has increased, figures show. | The proportion of UK young people who identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual has increased, figures show. |
Some 3.3% of 16 to 24-year-olds - about 242,000 people - identified as LGB in 2015, up from 2.8% in 2014. | Some 3.3% of 16 to 24-year-olds - about 242,000 people - identified as LGB in 2015, up from 2.8% in 2014. |
The rise was mainly due to more people identifying as bisexual, the Office for National Statistics said, up from 1.3% in 2014 to 1.8% last year. | The rise was mainly due to more people identifying as bisexual, the Office for National Statistics said, up from 1.3% in 2014 to 1.8% last year. |
Rights charity Stonewall said that may in part be a result of more LGB role models in the public eye. | Rights charity Stonewall said that may in part be a result of more LGB role models in the public eye. |
It named model and actress Cara Delevigne, boxer Nicola Adams and singer Miley Cyrus among high-profile people to come out as bisexual in recent years. | |
The ONS's sexual identity data comes from its Annual Population Survey. | The ONS's sexual identity data comes from its Annual Population Survey. |
Sexual identity is one part of the concept of "sexual orientation", which does not necessarily reflect sexual attraction or sexual behaviour, the ONS said. | Sexual identity is one part of the concept of "sexual orientation", which does not necessarily reflect sexual attraction or sexual behaviour, the ONS said. |
It currently does not measure sexual attraction or sexual behaviour. | It currently does not measure sexual attraction or sexual behaviour. |
Other findings showed: | Other findings showed: |
'Younger generation are more open' | |
Lana Peswani, 24, first had feelings towards women when she was a young child but says she didn't know at the time what they meant. | |
She was bullied in her all-girls secondary school by students who called her a lesbian. | |
However, it was when she was 17 that she heard the term pansexual for the first time and realised it applied to her. | |
Pansexuality is a term used to describe those who can feel an attraction to anyone, regardless of their sex or gender. | |
Miss Peswani, who lives in London, has had relationships with men and women, and said: "I feel my attraction to people is quite fluid. | |
"I fancy guys, girls and trans people, and I find androgyny attractive. It's more about the person and the energy they give." | |
She added: "I think the younger generation are a lot more open. They are aware of things like trans issues. | |
"At my school people weren't aware of trans issues at all." | |
A spokeswoman for Stonewall welcomed the figures and said there were now more LGB role models in the media and more open discussions in society about bisexuality. | |
She said: "We would hope that individuals who had previously felt pressured to conceal their bi identity now feel safer and more empowered to be open about how they identify. | She said: "We would hope that individuals who had previously felt pressured to conceal their bi identity now feel safer and more empowered to be open about how they identify. |
"It's a shame the data doesn't account for those who identify outside of the binaries of lesbian, gay and bi, however. | "It's a shame the data doesn't account for those who identify outside of the binaries of lesbian, gay and bi, however. |
"We know that many LGBT people prefer not to label their sexual orientation in such a way, and so their input in this research is lost." | "We know that many LGBT people prefer not to label their sexual orientation in such a way, and so their input in this research is lost." |
Some 320,000 are polled each year for the Annual Population Survey, from which individual reports are published throughout the year. | Some 320,000 are polled each year for the Annual Population Survey, from which individual reports are published throughout the year. |