Pew Research Center and the Pew-Knight Initiative surveyed U.S. adults to study how people absorb information and engage in communities. [1]
49% of LGBTQ Americans report being part of an online community, compared to 35% of those who are not LGBTQ, according to a Pew Research Center survey of U.S. adults conducted from May 26 to June 1, 2026. [1]
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) Americans are more likely than others to describe online communities as valuable and to rely on them for acceptance. Among adults in online communities, 42% of LGBTQ respondents say these spaces bring a great deal or quite a bit of value to their lives, versus 25% of non-LGBTQ adults. 62% of the general U.S. adult sample report this level of value. [1]
73% of LGBTQ adults visit their primary online community because they feel accepted there, compared with about half of non-LGBTQ adults. [1]
59% of LGBTQ adults believe online-formed relationships can be just as meaningful as in-person ones, compared to 31% of non-LGBTQ adults. [1]
LGBTQ adults are more likely to join online communities centered on movies, books, TV shows, hobbies, video games, and gender-specific spaces. [1]
Among those who have left an online community, 57% of LGBTQ adults cite harassment or lack of belonging as reasons, compared to 41% and 44% respectively for non-LGBTQ adults. [1]
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