CORRECTION: UCLA's Williams Institute originally reported that 10.5% of Kentucky's population identified as LGBT. In a statement, UCLA acknowledged its error, correcting the percentage to 4.9%.
We realized this morning that there was an error in our LGBT adult population estimates. A letter of apology from our Founding Executive Director @bradsears is below. pic.twitter.com/zn08uvgGWt
— Williams Institute (@WilliamsPolicy) December 8, 2023
"Errors in data are rare. And errors in data from reputable government sources are even more rare. The CDC initially reported the 10.5% estimate for Kentucky but corrected it in July 2023. We should have been on top of that correction and incorporated it in our report," said Brad Sears, founding executive director of the Williams Institute.
The District of Columbia topped the overall list with 14.3% of the population identifying as LGBT. Oregon had 7.8%, Delaware with 7.5%, and Vermont with 7.4%. You can find the full table of results here.
“Next year will mark the silver anniversary, it will be 25 years since Louisville and Lexington passed their historic fairness ordinances. That type of groundwork that our organizations laid two and half decades ago is exactly what has made us an attractive place for LGBTQ folks to come,” said Chris Hartman, Fairness Campaign director.
Additionally, one in six young adults ages 18-24 identify as LGBT.
“We know how many LGBT folks there have always been in the world, and just now folks are finding the safety, the networks, the community that they need to feel safe and supported to be able to come out,” said Hartman.
Hartman believes that Kentucky lawmakers don’t have the LGBT community’s best interest in mind.
“Now the state legislature is doing everything it can, unfortunately, to keep LGBTQ folks away and drive them out of our state.”
All legislative session long, the hot-button topic for Kentucky was SB 150, which included a ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth.
“I think it is probably the most anti-LGBTQ piece of legislation passed in the country this year because it had so many anti-LGBTQ provisions in it,” said Hartman.
When a new legislative session begins on January 2, Hartman hopes to hear every voice in his community.
“We have a moral mandate to protect our queer kids in the commonwealth of Kentucky at all costs,” said Hartman.
