DETROIT (ChurchMilitant.com) – A new survey and a recently published index unveil a cultural shift in Generation Z’s attitudes towards LGBTQ issues and religion.
The PRRI report
The survey, conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI), and the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty’s 2023 Religious Freedom Index, focus on individuals aged 18 to 25, although the Gen Z cohort typically includes those as old as 27.
Each set of data reveals shifts in Gen Z’s perspectives on LGBTQ issues, the nature of marriage and the extent to which the cohort supports religious freedom, especially when religious beliefs conflict with contemporary views on LGBTQ matters.
PRRI Survey
The PRRI survey reveals that more than a quarter of Gen Z adults (28%) identify as LGBTQ. This rate stands in contrast to the self-reported LGBT identification of older generations: 10% of all adults, 16% of millennials (aged 28-43), 7% of Generation X (aged 44-59), 4% of baby boomers (aged 60-69) and 4% of the Silent Generation (aged 78-96).
In a more detailed breakdown of Gen Z survey respondents, 72% identify as straight, 15% as bisexual, 5% as gay or lesbian and 8% as other so-called LGBTQ identities.
More Gen Z adults identify as LGBTQ compared to those who identify as Republican.
This data reflects a broader trend of increasing acceptance and openness regarding sexual deviancy and gender confusion among younger Americans.
Your browser does not support the video tag.
The survey also emphasizes a decline in traditional religious affiliations among Generation Z.
Becket Fund Index
The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty’s 2023 Religious Freedom Index found that 61% of Gen Z respondents view religion as a source of societal problems in the United States, a sentiment that starkly differs from the views of older generations. Specifically, 56% of respondents blame those problems on people of faith.
The Becket report
Despite this, the Index indicates a nuanced view of religious freedom among Gen Z. While 63% support the right to practice religious beliefs that diverge from majority practices, support dwindles to 38% when religious practices conflict with mainstream cultural views.
For example, members of Gen Z are less inclined to support free religious exercise among believers who feel marriage should only be between a man and a woman. This may reflect the cohort’s greater acceptance of LGBT issues.
As these findings reveal, Generation Z is playing a significant role in molding a new cultural landscape in the United States.
