2022
9
US Understanding LGBTQ+ Communities Consumer Report 2022
2022-04-01T04:04:52+01:00
REP54D432E6_40E8_4763_8B76_CF319BDD61EE
3695
150122
[{"name":"Consumer Insights","url":"https:\/\/store.mintel.com\/industries\/consumer-insights"}]
Report
en_GB
“As more Americans identify as LGBTQ+ due to widespread awareness and acceptance, brands must invest in growing their knowledge and understanding of this population and its sub-communities. Today many LGBTQ+…
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  6. US Understanding LGBTQ+ Communities Consumer Report 2022

US Understanding LGBTQ+ Communities Consumer Report 2022

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“As more Americans identify as LGBTQ+ due to widespread awareness and acceptance, brands must invest in growing their knowledge and understanding of this population and its sub-communities. Today many LGBTQ+ marketing efforts are considered pandering, misrepresentative or hypocritical. Brands looking to target this population should explore the ways they can uniquely serve this consumer group, ensure their internal teams are representative of the intersectional LGBTQ+ population, and feature authentic LGBTQ+ voices in their marketing and communication to capture the nuance of LGBTQ+ experiences.”
– Lisa Dubina, Associate Director | Culture and Identity

This Report looks at the following areas

  • The current estimated size and demographic makeup of the LGBTQ+ population
  • LGBTQ+ Americans’ outlook on their own identity and the influence of the wider LGBTQ+ community
  • Consumer spend and financial wellbeing among LGBTQ+ consumers versus the total population
  • LGBTQ+ consumers’ attitudes towards brands’ marketing, representation, and allyship
Collapse All
  1. Overview

    • What you need to know
    • This Report looks at the following areas
    • Definition
    • Market context
    • COVID-19: US context
    • Economic and other assumptions
  2. Executive Summary

    • Top takeaways
    • Target audience overview
      • Figure 1: Characteristics of the LGBT adult population, 2022
      • Figure 2: Experiences of LGBT adult population, 2022
    • Opportunities and challenges
    • LGBTQ+ identity is just one aspect of LGBTQ+ Americans’ wider sense of self
      • Figure 3: Outlook on personal identity, 2022
      • Figure 4: Outlook on the LGBTQ+ Community, 2022
    • Pride is becoming too commercialized
      • Figure 5: Outlook on Pride, by sexual orientation, by gender identity, and by queer identify, 2022
    • LGBTQ+ consumers feel brands are pandering to and misrepresenting them
      • Figure 6: Outlook on brand representation, 2022
    • LGBTQ+ consumers are particularly wary of hypocritical brand support
      • Figure 7: Outlook on brand representation, 2022
  3. The LGBTQ+ Population – Fast Facts

  4. Target Audience: The LGBTQ+ Population by the Numbers

    • The LGBTQ+ population is larger than previously thought
    • First steps towards federal survey data on LGBTQ+ Americans
    • Census Bureau data confirms the LGBTQ+ population skews young, multicultural and less affluent
      • Figure 8: Characteristics of the LGBT adult population, 2022
    • LGBT Americans are more likely to experience economic hardships and mental health struggles
      • Figure 9: Experiences of LGBT adult population, 2022
    • Current LGBTQ+ census data is not all-encompassing
      • Figure 10: Sexual orientation and gender identity, 2022
      • Figure 11: Usage of the word “queer,” by sexual orientation, by gender identity, 2022
      • Figure 12: Usage of the word “queer” indexing, 2022
  5. Factors Impacting LGBTQ+ Americans

    • The rise of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and book banning
    • Mental health struggles increase
    • Increased representation in pop culture
      • Figure 13: Historic Jeopardy! winner, Amy Schneider “honored and humbled” by recognition at GLAAD Media Awards, 2022
  6. Outlook on Personal Identity

    • A person’s sexual orientation and gender identity is crucial, but not the only influence on their identity
      • Figure 14: Outlook on personal identity, 2022
    • Transgender, nonbinary, and queer-identifying people are more likely to see the influence of their sexual orientation and gender identity on their personal values
      • Figure 15: Personal values, by gender identity, and by queer identity, 2022
    • Four in 10 LGBTQ+ Americans experience judgement and insecurities towards their sexual orientation or gender identity
      • Figure 16: Outlook on judgement and insecurities, 2022
    • Transgender, nonbinary, and queer-identifying individuals are more likely to experience judgement and feel insecure
      • Figure 17: Outlook on judgement and insecurities, by gender identity, and by queer identity, 2022
    • Compared to the total population, LGBTQ+ Americans are more forward-thinking and optimistic
      • Figure 18: Self-perceptions, by total population, and by LGBTQ+ population, 2022
    • The majority of LGBTQ+ Americans surround themselves with people like them – progressive and open-minded
      • Figure 19: Outlook on judgement and insecurities, by gender identity, 2022
  7. Role of LGBTQ+ Community

    • Nearly 60% of LGBTQ+ Americans feel part of the LGBTQ+ community, but only 40% prioritize being actively involved in the community
      • Figure 20: Outlook on the LGBTQ+ Community, 2022
    • Individuals who identify as queer feel significantly closer to and active in the LGBTQ+ community
      • Figure 21: Outlook on the LGBTQ+ Community, by sexual orientation, by gender identity, and by queer identification, 2022
    • Millennials in particularly feel aligned with the LGBTQ+ community
      • Figure 22: Outlook on the LGBTQ+ Community, by generation, 2022
    • Despite feeling close with the community, the majority of people feel that aspects of LGBTQ+ culture needs to improve
      • Figure 23: Outlook on the LGBTQ+ culture, 2022
    • Transgender, nonbinary and queer-identifying people see the most cultural tension across the LGBTQ+ community
      • Figure 24: Outlook on the LGBTQ+ culture, 2022
    • Less than half of LGBTQ+ adults find Pride Month, or other LGBTQ+ awareness holidays, to be meaningful
      • Figure 25: LGBTQ+ awareness holidays, 2022
    • Pride is becoming too commercialized
      • Figure 26: Outlook on Pride, by sexual orientation, by gender identity, and by queer identify, 2022
    • Millennials are a driving force behind feeling Pride has become too commercialized
      • Figure 27: Outlook on Pride, by generation, 2022
    • LGBTQ+ History Month, National Coming Out Day and World AIDS Day also have widespread meaning across LGBTQ+ identities
      • Figure 28: LGBTQ+ awareness holidays, by sexual orientation, by gender identity, and by queer identity, 2022
  8. LGBTQ+ Consumer Psyche

    • LGBTQ+ consumers are more likely to spend extra funds on entertainment and personal grooming
      • Figure 29: Spending extra money, by total population and LGBTQ+ population, 2022
    • Planned spending varies based on sexual orientation, gender identity and queer identity
      • Figure 30: Spending extra money, by sexual orientation, by gender identity, and by queer identity, 2022
    • Compared to the total population, LGBTQ+ Americans are more concerned about their financial wellness
      • Figure 31: Financial wellness, by total population, and by LGBTQ+ identity, 2022
      • Figure 32: SoFi presents: Financially Every After, 2020
    • LGBTQ+ adults are more likely to be concerned about paying monthly bills, student loans and day-to-day expenses
      • Figure 33: Financial Concerns, by total population, and by LGBTQ+ identity, 2022
  9. Outlook on Social Media and Pop Culture

    • LGBTQ+ adults are more likely to be active social media users
      • Figure 34: Social media visits visited daily, by total population, and by LGBTQ+ population, 2022
    • LGBTQ+ social media users are more likely to interact with brands and create their own content
      • Figure 35: Social media usage, by total population, and by LGBTQ+ population, 2022
    • Transgender, nonbinary, and queer-identifying social media users are more likely to be both proactive and interactive on social media
      • Figure 36: Social media usage, by sexual orientation, by gender identity, by queer identity, 2022
    • The majority of LGBTQ+ Americans feel media representation has improved, but less than half felt personally represented in the past year
      • Figure 37: LGBTQ+ representation, 2022
    • Younger LGBTQ+ adults are more likely to feel representation has improved and to have felt personally represented in the past year
      • Figure 38: LGBTQ+ representation, by generation, 2022
    • Transgender adults are more likely to have felt represented, but are also less likely to believe that representation has improved
      • Figure 39: LGBTQ+ representation, by sexual orientation, by gender identity, and by queer identity, 2022
  10. Attitudes Towards Brand Representation and Allyship

    • LGBTQ+ consumers are more likely to prioritize shopping LGBTQ-owned brands rather than buying brands that are LGBTQ+ allies
      • Figure 40: Supporting LGBTQ+ community with spend, 2022
      • Figure 41: Kraft Peanut Butter supporting local Canadian brands, 2020
    • Transgender, nonbinary and queer-identifying adults prioritize supporting the LGBTQ+ community through their consumer spend
      • Figure 42: Supporting LGBTQ+ community with spend, by sexual orientation and by Queer identify, 2022
    • More than half of LGBTQ+ consumers feel brands are missing the mark when it comes to marketing to and representing LGBTQ+ people
      • Figure 43: Outlook on brand representation, 2022
    • Transgender, nonbinary, and queer-identifying consumers are more likely to feel pandered to and misrepresented
      • Figure 44: Brand representation, by sexual orientation, by gender identity, and by queer identity, 2022
    • LGBTQ+ consumers expect brand allies to support the LGBTQ+ community monetarily and be transparent about political donations
      • Figure 45: Outlook on brand representation, 2022
  11. Competitive Strategies and Market Opportunities

    • Marketing to LGBTQ+ communities: The intersection of Identity and Rights
      • Figure 46: The intersection of Identity and Rights for LGBTQ+ consumers
    • HRC illustrates LGBTQ+ inequality with The Reality Flag
      • Figure 47: The Human Rights Campaign’s “Reality Flag,” 2022
    • Billie presents inclusive fairy tales
      • Figure 48: Billie’s inclusive fairy tales, 2021
    • Pantene shares diverse stories through “I’m #BeautifuLGBTQ+” campaign
      • Figure 49: Pantene shares #BeautifuLGBTQ+ stories
    • Columbian retailer supports rent without stereotypes
  12. Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations

    • Data sources
    • Consumer survey data
    • Consumer qualitative research
    • Abbreviations and terms
    • Abbreviations
    • Terms

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