Study Finds Shift in gay demographic

[Daniel]

A recent study conducted by Logo finds that there is a shift in how gay people view themselves, which, when one thinks about it, makes a great deal of sense.

This study reminds me of similar news I read years ago after the Netherlands introduced gay marriage into their society. What happened? The very same things this article in all about: gay people become more integrated into the culture at large. And while some may decry the loss of 'gay space', in the big picture (an article from the recent Gay and Lesbian Review comes to mind here), I welcome the notion that gay people feeling more free to be themselves everywhere. That said, I think there will always be a 'West Hollywood' or a 'Castro'. Gay people still like to get together in 3D, even though the internet has changed how we meet.

Gee. We are becoming as boring as straight folks. Fancy that!

http://www.365gay.com/features/080508-suburb-study/

Study Finds Shift in gay demographic
By 365gay Newscenter Staff
08.05.2008 4:36pm EDT
(New York City) A new study finds a vast generational shift among LGBT people.


The survey, for Logo Network, discovered that more LGBT people expect to lead an integrated life raising families in suburbs or small towns while maintaining their identity and sense of community.

The study was conducted in in partnership with Simmons and TRU. 365gay is owned by Logo, a division of Viacom Inc.’s MTV Networks.

The survey found that 79 percent of gay people think it’s important to integrate into the greater culture and 64 percent are open about their sexual orientation to at least their family members.

It also found that less than half of gay people want to live in a city and a majority want to live in suburbia or small-town America. Regardless of where they want to live, 58 percent want to live closer to other gay people.

The researchers said that two-thirds of younger gay people expect to be partnered with kids at some point in their adulthood, while less than a third of gays 35 and older expect the same.

Younger gay people have an even mix of gay and straight friends, the network said in a statement. And overall, gay people rank marriage equality as the number one issue about which they’re passionate, followed by the environment, health care and the economy.

“We’re trading in West Hollywood for West Texas and big disposable incomes for disposable diapers,” said Lisa Sherman, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Logo.

“Most important, we’re integrating without abandoning our community or sense of identity. These developments are good for LGBT people and good for America.”

The research also found that despite gay people’s love for mainstream media, they want entertainment that speaks to their uniquely gay lives and experiences. Sherman said that this finding supports Logo’s efforts to develop programming like the recent Sordid Lives: The Series that tell authentic LGBT stories, sometimes with many LGBT characters and sometimes only a few.

The research involved a qualitative study in partnership with TRU Research of 21-45 year olds in New York and Dallas as well as a national survey in partnership with Simmons of 1,800 LGBT people between the ages of 21 and 59.

[Matt Algren]

The researchers said that two-thirds of younger gay people expect to be partnered with kids at some point in their adulthood, while less than a third of gays 35 and older expect the same.

You're going to make me cry. That mindset is a huge hurdle, and I'm glad the next generation is clearing it.

[Daniel]

Originally Posted by Matt Algren

You're going to make me cry. That mindset is a huge hurdle, and I'm glad the next generation is clearing it.

Don't see any reason why those over 35 can't be partnered and with kids. Or simply partnered. But you are right, it is a mindset. And as such, my feeling is that mindsets can change, even in those who consider themselves set in their ways.

Maybe part of the solution is spending time with those who think and feel as though there are possibilities rather than roadblocks? In that sense, those of us older than 35 have a lot to learn from those younger than ourselves.

Maybe we have to think young to be young.

[BenL]

Lynn Johnston knows what the survey shows. Check today's strip at http://www.fborfw.com/strip_fix/ (I'm attaching it below in case the strip I'm talking about doesn't stay on the opening page past today.)

Edit: Keep in mind she's Canadian.