Only half of Generation Z say they are exclusively attracted to people of the opposite sex, according to a new study.
Polling undertaken by LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall and Ipsos reveals stark generational differences when it comes to sexual attraction, with two in five (40 per cent) of Gen Z respondents identifying same sex attractions, while 53 per cent (just over half) report being exclusively attracted to people of the opposite sex.
This compares with over three-quarters (77 per cent) of baby boomers, who say they are exclusively attracted to people of the opposite sex.
The groundbreaking report reveals that more Gen Z people identify as bisexual or pansexual (14 per cent), than gay (two percent) or lesbian (three per cent).
Across all age ranges, however, only two-thirds (66 per cent) describe themselves as being exclusively attracted to the opposite sex.
And data shows that two percent of Britons identify as asexual or “ace”, which means that they do not experience sexual attraction, although they may still be romantically attracted.
The data, which reveals younger generations as being significantly more sexually diverse than their predecessors, was taken from three unique surveys consisting of more than 6,000 Britons.
For the purposes of this study, Gen Z are defined as those currently aged 16-26; millennials are defined as those currently aged 27-42; Gen X are defined as those currently aged 43 to 56, and baby boomers are defined as those currently aged 56 to 75.
“This ground-breaking new report shows that our lives as LGBTQ+ people are more visible and connected to our friends and families,” says Nancy Kelley, CEO of Stonewall.
“It is also amazing to see that younger generations are no longer afraid to be themselves and have supportive families and social environments to thrive.
“This profound sea-change in our identity and orientation indicates that the idea of a ‘culture war’ often referenced in parts of the media is a misnomer being propagated by a narrow section of society, out of touch with - and unwilling to accept – the reality of our diverse, inter-connected communities.”
The news comes as hate crimes targeting transgender people were found to have surged by 56 per cent in a year, as the number of overall offences hit a record high in England and Wales.
In a report published by the Home Office, racially-motivated offences made up the largest proportion overall, followed by those motivated by sexual orientation, disability, religion and transgender identity.
While the number of hate crimes recorded has been increasing for a decade, the report states that the trend “is likely to have been mainly driven by improvements in crime recording by the police”.
It adds: “Transgender issues have been heavily discussed on social media over the last year, which may have led to an increase in related hate crimes.”
