LGBTQ+ Americans are living more openly despite pressure to hide

For many LGBTQ+ Americans, becoming more visible and feeling less safe doing so are happening at the same time.

New findings released Thursday by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation show that one-third of LGBTQ+ adults surveyed said they were more open about their identities than two years ago. Yet 56 percent said the political climate made them less likely to be open — a figure that reached 70 percent among transgender and gender-expansive adults.

Released ahead of National Coming Out Day on Sunday, the findings, shared exclusively with The Advocate, describe a community navigating political pressure while continuing to build connections that respondents overwhelmingly believe can strengthen support for equal rights.

Related: HRC urges gays to come out to spread awareness

Overall, 85 percent described themselves as somewhat or very open about their LGBTQ+ identities. While 33 percent reported becoming more open, 22 percent said they had become less open.

Younger adults reported the greatest shift toward openness, with about 40 percent of those ages 18 to 34 saying they were more open than two years earlier.

But respondents also saw acceptance erode. Seventy-eight percent believed acceptance of transgender and nonbinary people had declined over the past two years, while 45 percent saw declining acceptance of lesbian, gay, and bisexual people.

Related: The untold story behind the first National Coming Out Day

“Politicians are targeting LGBTQ+ people and making it harder to live openly, especially for transgender people,” HRC President Kelley Robinson said in a statement. “Coming out is deeply personal – your choice, on your timeline.”

Respondents nevertheless saw political value in being known. Ninety-two percent agreed that more openly LGBTQ+ people help build public support for equal rights and protections. Nearly half had attended Pride or another large community event in the past year.

With the midterms less than a month away, HRC urges LGBTQ+ people and allies to turn those connections into votes.

“This fall, we’re carrying that spirit to the ballot box,” Robinson said. “We’re voting in these midterms to protect every one of us, wherever we are on our journey.”