Peer pressure or liberation? Almost 40% of students at Ivy League school identify as LGBTQ

Brown University students raised some eyebrows, as the recent poll showed that 38% of them referred to themselves as non-heterosexual, three times higher than in 2010.

The surge of LGBTQI+ student

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One of the most prestigious schools, Brown University, recorded a surge in LGBTQI+ students in the past decade. The poll was conducted by the university’s newspaper, the Brown Daily Herald, founding that 38% of those polled fell under the LGBTQ category, compared to 14% in 2010. In 2019, this number was around 20%, Washington Examiner reported.

Peer pressure

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Washington Examiner, a right-wing publication, gave more insight into how peer pressure could be the reason behind these astonishing numbers and included a valid comparison. They quoted the American Lung Association, which says that marketing, pressure from friends, and seeing parents smoke can contribute to higher smoking rates. But there are other things to consider.

A gender dysphoria researcher spoke up

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Lisa Littman, a gender-dysphoria researcher formerly an assistant professor at Brown, supported the idea that peer pressure is part of the rise of LGBTQI+ students. Eric Kaufmann, a researcher for the Think Tank, told the College Fix that sexual demeanor hasn’t moved at the same speed as sexual identification, “If this was about people feeling able to come out, then we should have seen these two trends rise together.”

Politics and replies in the polls

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“That said, those who identify as ‘very liberal’ are substantially more likely to say they are LGBT, and white left-wing activists are extremely likely to do so, with some 70% of very liberal women who support shouting down offensive speakers identifying as LGBT,” Kaufmann concluded.

7.1% of US adults identify as something other than heterosexual

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Gallup poll from 2023 found that 7.1% of adults identify as other than heterosexual, double the rate ten years ago. 21% of Gen Z adults identify as members of the LGBTQI+ community. The most significant rise was detected among art colleges, Oberlin, Wellesley, and Smith.

Smith’s student’s confession gives an in-depth explanation

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One student from this institution wrote, “I am a queer student at Smith College. I only came out publicly after entering college, and the queer community I found at Smith was a huge reason for that. Had I gone to a co-ed college, I honestly don’t know if I would have come out. Our queer community allowed me to learn about and grow comfortable with my own sexual identity. This is also a story I hear again and again from my peers at this college: a story of growth, hope, and safety due to an environment that fosters inclusivity.”

The results could be from representation, not peer pressure

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Sharita Gruberg, VP of the LGBTQI+ Research and Communications Project at the Center for American Progress, told CNN, “Gen Z has grown up at a time when stigma around LGBTQ identities is on the decline and rights are expanding,” adding “As greater awareness about the diversity of sexual orientations and gender identities grows, and as the stigma surrounding LGBTQ identity lessens, we’re likely to see more people self-identify as LGBTQ.”

The rise of LGBTQI+ and the increase of hate groups

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This year could go down in history as one of the hardest for LGBTQ groups in the XXI century, with the groundbreaking number of anti-LGBTQ laws, some targeting the community, creating space for bullying and more brutal outcomes. The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that threats of violence against the LGBTQIA+ community are increasing and intensifying.

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