New Survey: More LGBT Americans Have No Religious Affiliation

A new survey found that LGBT people are more likely to be unaffiliated with a religious organization than straight people, Gay Star News points out.

Data from the Pew Research Center found that 48 percent of all LGBT adults surveyed said they are atheists, while 20 percent of the general public said they're atheists. Additionally, those who said they were religious attended services less often and didn't think faith was important compared to others. A third of religiously affiliated LGBT adults said there is a conflict between their faith and their sexual orientation or gender identity.

"When I was younger, I grew up in an extremely conservative [omitted] religion. I had suicidal thoughts ever since I can remember until I left the religion and accepted who I am. Coming out to my family was very difficult because of their religion. Fortunately, my family loves me still," a 34-year-old gay man is quoted saying in the report.

"When I was 18 I couldn't handle it and attempted suicide. I became religious, thinking God would make me straight. I gave that up at 26 when I finally realized it wasn't God who had a problem with me but his followers," a 64-year-old gay man said.

It should be noted 42 percent of LGBT people said they are Christian, compared to 73 percent of the general public. The research surveyed 1,2000 people who identified as LGBT adults in California.

George Broadhead, the secretary and trustee of UK-based gay humanist charity, the Pink Triangle Trust, claims atheists in the US are more discriminated against than LGBT people, however.

"I can't understand why anybody in their right minds if they're gay or lesbian would want to embrace any religion like Catholicism which is so hostile. It's masochistic," Broadhead told Gay Star News