Weekdays at 12noon on 770 AM: The Truth
 Michael Medved

Distorting Numbers on Gay Identity

February 19, 2013 @ 1:18 pm (Updated: 1:20 pm - 2/19/13 )

A misleading new state-by-state study claims that nearly 4 percent of American adults identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender with Washington, DC boasting the top LGBT population of nearly 10 percent.

These figures seem to contradict a 2011 study from the same experts at UCLA's Williams Institute that showed only 1.7 percent saying they were gay or lesbian. Where's the discrepancy?

The new numbers include bisexuals, who actually outnumber lesbians and gays. This is politically inconvenient for the gay rights argument because bisexuals by definition feel attraction to both genders, and so exercise some element of choice in how they express their sexuality.

Also, those permanently attracted to both men and women fit far less comfortably into the mold of monogamous marriage: limiting yourself to one person and one gender must go against your "nature" if you define yourself as bisexual.

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Comments (22)


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  • FormerMarineSgt wrote...
    Ah, medved. 'Distorted numbers' only because you disagree with the topic...
    February 19, 2013 3:03 pm
    What's distorted? They state who they include in the numbers and state the data accurately. I think the only reason you call it 'distorted' is because you don't want there to be that many people around you who fit into one of the categories described. I can't find another reason why you could possibly have a problem with the factual information being accurately represented. After all, it's not being presented as 'xx% of Americans are gay' - they are presenting is as 'xx% of Americans are gay, lesbian, transexual AND/OR bi. One study identified one group of people, the other study identifies that group AND others - and is clear in stating that fact.
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  • stanJames wrote...
    % of gays
    February 19, 2013 7:25 pm
    All we have to do is look at the word "truth" on your webpage to know something is all but false I've been to iceland and Denmark, where both have marriage equality In Iceland there were zero known gays until a popular singer came out of the closet in 1978. Now the statistics per their govt show that about 9% of the people identify as gay. BTW the gay group is called Organization 78. In slightly more conservative Denmark the number is about 8.5% per the govt. Denmark voted 85 to 14 for Marriage equality Iceland voted 49 to 0 with a couple abstentions. Time for you to come out of the closet. http://www.opposingviews.com/i/scientific-proof-homophobia-linked-to-repressed-homosexuality
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  • fartforce1 wrote...
    Im with you on this one Medved
    February 19, 2013 3:19 pm
    I think that Gay population numbers are hyper inflated. They are just more vocal. Also - in some cases, If being gay is means attraction and not action and just because you cant find a partner of the opposite sex and have the stomach to turn to the same sex does not make you gay either. It makes you willing. Beyond that, who gets to decide categories anyway? Don't tell me Bi is not also gay. Its still gay. So is Lesbian. In truth, the only category that actually does not make you gay in the "LBGT" is transsexuals. That's because transsexuals are not always attracted tot he same sex. Gay, 1.7 %, probably very accurate.
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  • FormerMarineSgt wrote...
    @fartforce
    February 21, 2013 5:02 am
    Gee - nothing but assumptions there buddy. Guess that assumptions make facts for the right wing
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  • cigarfan wrote...
    OK RWNJ's.......here's your chance
    February 19, 2013 3:36 pm
    To say to Medved...."don't we have enough LGBT stories?" lol
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  • William Armstrong wrote...
    "Reporting from my closet, this is Michael Medved. Good day and I'm SUPER, thanks for asking."
    February 19, 2013 4:45 pm
    Those Who Doth Protest Too Much...
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  • SeattleD wrote...
    It all depends on how you define gay/bisexual/heterosexual
    February 19, 2013 5:55 pm
    If it is just based on how someone defines themself then a person who has homosexual sex all the time but defines themself as a heterosexual because they feel better about that, well then they are by definition a heterosexual (think Boy Scouts).

    How many women had female lovers in college but now consider themselves heterosexual because they are monogomous with their husbands? Sorry, you are bisexual if you enjoyed romping around with your girlfriends. It doesn't matter how you define yourself.

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  • stanJames wrote...
    `why are you here..................
    February 19, 2013 7:27 pm
    BTW why are you here - cuz WA state voted for marriage equality and there already is a move to undo the ban on marriage equality in OR. Prop 8 will be decided by scotus.
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  • Tyrone DeVille wrote...
    Says Medved, with his well groomed bath house mustache
    February 20, 2013 8:50 am
    !
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  • cigarfan wrote...
    Medved is like Rove
    February 20, 2013 11:36 am
    Medved will never admit.... that his homophobic ideas are malevolent and that Capitalism is the primary driver of War, Poverty, Exploitation, oppression and worldwide environmental destruction.
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  • PaperMachete wrote...
    I don't get the point of this article...
    February 20, 2013 7:32 pm
    I hate blog posts like this, because it generally devolves into arguing about labels. I don't see how these numbers are distorted if the study says up front that they are including bisexuals. And bisexuals definitely deserve to be included in the group. I don't get how bisexuals are "politically inconvenient for the gay rights movement." Yes, bisexuals by definition choose to be with men or women depending on what they want. I don't have the same luxury. Just because a bisexual can choose between genders doesn't mean that I as a gay man can too. And I wouldn't even want to.
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  • gaymarriedchristianfromhollywood wrote...
    I think it's kind of cool that bisexuals can look beyond
    February 21, 2013 6:32 am
    a person's sex. No matter how I would go about it, I just couldn't be attracted to women. But people who are bisexuals look beyond sexual identity. You'd have to be very open minded.
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  • PaperMachete wrote...
    gaymarried
    February 21, 2013 4:48 pm
    I don't necessarily see being bi as having to be open minded. There was a time in my life when I was younger where I considered myself bi and had strong attraction to both sexes. It had nothing to do with being open minded for me. At that point in my life, I wanted to be with people of either gender. As I got older, my interest in men kept growing, and my interest in women started waning to almost nothing. Sexuality is a fluid process, and I completely believe that it can and does change over time. It's anecdotal, but for me and the bi men I know, it was never about being open minded or looking beyond a person's sex. At some points, I would want to be with a guy; and other times I wanted to be with a woman.
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  • gaymarriedchristianfromhollywood wrote...
    well, i could be wrong
    February 21, 2013 6:43 pm
    Thanks for sharing. I see your point. It's not like you're going around thinking I'm so open minded. But I just think you'd have to be to some extent. Maybe cuz I was raised strict Catholic, but I couldn't even begin to imagine being with a woman, so people who can do that seem open minded.
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  • Mark Levine wrote...
    Medved's ignorance is astounding.
    February 22, 2013 7:39 am
    Medved claims "limiting yourself to one person and one gender must go against your 'nature' if you define yourself as bisexual." Crazy talk. All bisexual means is a person is physically attracted to both (some) men and (some) women. It does not prevent monogamy any more than a man's attraction to two different women prevents monogamy. Are most monogamous heterosexuals attracted to one and only one person of the opposite sex? Of course not. Are you attracted to no woman other than your wife, Michael? And assuming you are, is it against your 'nature' to be monogamous??? Such illogical ignorance. Think before you write, Michael.
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  • longwayhome wrote...
    AJ
    March 5, 2013 8:15 pm
    Sure is obsessed with the gay thing. Something you want to tell us? Hmmmm? You are a prolific troll and all day poster for reasons known only to you, but this gay thing seems to be a magnet for you. Comments?
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