- More than half of LGBTQ adults have used a dating app or site, according to a new study from the Pew Research Center.
- The study revealed that LGBTQ-identifying individuals are twice as likely to say they have used a dating app than the straight adults surveyed.
- The results of the survey address the difficulties those in the LGBTQ community face in meeting people offline, whether that's due to a lack of queer spaces or queer visibility.
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LGBTQ adults are nearly twice as likely as straight individuals to have used dating apps and websites, a new survey of thousands of US adults has found.
A recent survey conducted by Pew Research Center reports that more than half of the LGBTQ-identifying people sampled said they have pursued online dating. However, only 28% of the straight adults in the survey admitted to having used a dating site or app.
The staunch difference between the answers of LGBTQ and straight individuals in the survey provides some insight into the difficulties the queer community faces in dating offline. While straight people may have an easier time meeting others in person, the LGBTQ community faces a set of unique challenges that often impact their ability to do the same.
The use of dating apps has been growing steadily as people continue to turn to their phones and the internet for help meeting others. Online dating is now an industry worth more than $3 billion in the US, and an estimated 25 million people regularly used dating apps in 2019, according to eMarketer. Additionally, the stigma around online dating seems to be steadily decreasing.
Nevertheless, online dating is still something used by a minority of US adults. Pew's survey found that 30% of US adults said they have used a dating app, but that number is much higher among adults under the age of 30. The prevalent way for meeting potential romantic partners and budding interests is still predominantly in person, whether that's in a bar, a chance meeting on the street, or through a mutual friend.
However, this opportunity is not as readily available to members of the LGBTQ community. Only 4.5% of the US population— that means, 11.3 million people — identifies as LGBTQ. Because this community makes up a small portion of the population, dating apps and platforms are often the easiest way to identify and meet potential partners who are LGBTQ.
Nonetheless, more than 1,000 hate crimes against the LGBTQ community are reported annually, and the numbers of those crimes are still on the rise. Even as younger generations are touted as more progressive, a national survey showed in 2019 that LGBTQ acceptance is declining among 18 to 34 year olds.
Because of this lack of acceptance and fear of violence, many members of the LGBTQ community find it difficult, or even dangerous, to look for partners and romantic interests face to face. That's not to mention that queer identity is often not obvious and visible, making it even harder to know who is LGBTQ outside of queer spaces.
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