Acceptance of LGBTQ Communities in the U.S.: Insights from a 2025 Pew Research Survey
A recent study conducted by the Pew Research Center reveals notable disparities in social acceptance within the LGBTQ community in the United States. While approximately 60% of LGBTQ adults believe that gay and lesbian individuals enjoy a significant level of acceptance, the sentiment is starkly different for transgender individuals.
The report, titled "The Experiences of LGBTQ Americans Today," published in 2025, highlights that only 10% of respondents feel that non-binary and transgender people experience the same level of social acceptance. Furthermore, around half of those surveyed indicated that there is "not much" or "no acceptance at all" for transgender individuals.
Conducted in January, shortly after the controversial election cycle involving former President Donald Trump, the survey reflected the heightened tensions surrounding LGBTQ rights. Trump’s administration made headlines for policies that challenged the recognition of transgender identities, including a directive categorizing individuals strictly as male or female based on biological factors at conception, dismissing the nuanced understanding of gender as a spectrum.
On his first day back in office, Trump signed an executive order that restricted transgender participation in women’s sports and sought to eliminate federal funding for gender-affirming healthcare for minors. A separate poll from May reported that approximately half of U.S. adults approved of Trump’s stance on transgender matters.
When it comes to familial acceptance, transgender individuals reported feeling less support compared to their gay or lesbian counterparts. While many LGBTQ respondents noted acceptance from their friends and siblings, only about one-third of transgender people felt accepted by their parents, and just 10% reported acceptance from extended family members.
Interestingly, about two-thirds of LGBTQ adults credited the historic U.S. Supreme Court ruling that legalized same-sex marriage in 2015 with significantly boosting societal acceptance of same-sex couples. As legal battles continue, the Supreme Court is set to rule on Tennessee’s controversial ban on gender-affirming care for minors, a decision that could play a pivotal role for the transgender community in the U.S.
This survey sheds light on the ongoing challenges and varying levels of acceptance faced by LGBTQ individuals across the nation, emphasizing the need for continued advocacy and awareness.