The 7.2% of people in the United States who identify as LGBTQ+, according to Gallup, is almost double the percentage it was a decade ago. It’s far higher among millennials (11.2%) and Gen Z (20%). That isn’t a statistic: It’s a growing market that speaks with its dollars, and one of several that the marketing industry’s own data suggests brands should do far more to support.
“Supermajorities of Americans believe in equality for LGBTQ people and believe companies should include our community in ways that support equality,” said Sarah Kate Ellis, president and CEO of GLAAD. “Consumers and employees who expect companies to support our community are only growing with younger generations, so marketers should be leaning in and standing up for inclusion, not walking away.”