Being Out in a Difficult Moment: LGBTQ+ People Continue to Choose Visibility

For National Coming Out Day, new findings from HRC Foundation’s 2026 Annual LGBTQ+ Community Survey show that most LGBTQ+ adults continue to be open about who they are, even as safety concerns, the political climate, and declining perceived acceptance shape decisions about visibility.

More than 25 million LGBTQ+ adults live in the United States. The environment has grown increasingly difficult for many LGBTQ+ people, especially transgender and nonbinary people. HRC Foundation surveyed 9,328 LGBTQ+ adults to understand how they are deciding whether to be open and visible.

Key Findings

85%
of LGBTQ+ adults are somewhat or very open about their LGBTQ+ identity.
33%
say they are more open about their identity than they were two years ago.
78%
say social acceptance of transgender and nonbinary people has decreased over the past two years.

What the Data Reveal

A stark divide in social acceptance. 

LGBTQ+ adults see much more acceptance for lesbian, gay, and bisexual people than for transgender and nonbinary people, and the decline is especially strong for transgender and nonbinary people.

How LGBTQ+ Adults Perceive Social Acceptance Today

Question: Overall, how much social acceptance do you think there is in this country today of people who are…

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual
63% 32%
Transgender or Nonbinary
9% 32% 59%
  • A great deal/fair amount
  • Some
  • Not much/none

Perceived Change in Social Acceptance Over the Past Two Years

Question: Compared with two years ago, how much social acceptance do you think there is in this country of people who are…

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual
28% 27% 45%
Transgender or Nonbinary
12% 10% 78%
  • More acceptance
  • About the same
  • Less acceptance

Source: 2026 Annual LGBTQ+ Community Survey conducted online from August 5 through September 8, 2026, among 9,328 LGBTQ+ adults ages 18 and older living in the United States. Estimates are weighted using raked survey weights to align the sample with estimated characteristics of the U.S. LGBTQ+ adult population. Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding.

Openness has held steady or grown

Despite a difficult environment, the overwhelming majority have either maintained their level of openness or become more open over the past two years.

Nearly 8 in 10 are as open as, or more open than, they were two years ago.

Responses to the question: “Compared to two years ago, how much more or less open are you about your LGBTQ+ identity with other people?”

33% 45% 22%
  • More open
  • About the same
  • Less open

Source: 2026 Annual LGBTQ+ Community Survey conducted online from August 5 through September 8, 2026, among 9,328 LGBTQ+ adults ages 18 and older living in the United States. Estimates are weighted using raked survey weights to align the sample with estimated characteristics of the U.S. LGBTQ+ adult population. Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding.

The Bottom Line

These findings do not show a broad retreat from visibility. LGBTQ+ people continue to live openly and build community, even as fear and pressure shape their choices. Visibility is a choice, not something required, and no LGBTQ+ person should have to risk their safety to be visible.

Read the Full Report
Topics:
Coming Out
Research

Related Resources

View AllRelated Resources