Nearly 1,000 LGBTQ officials elected nationwide, report says

Americans have elected more LGBTQ officials than ever before, but to achieve equitable representation, they would have to elect tens of thousands more, according to a new report.

The LGBTQ Victory Institute’s “Out for America 2021” report found that the number of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer elected officials increased by 17 percent in the past year, bringing the total number nationwide to 986.

But the institute, which supports LGBTQ people running for office, noted that queer people make up 5.6 percent of the U.S. adult population, while holding only 0.19 percent of elected positions.

To have the same proportion of queer people in elected office as there are in the general population, Americans would have to elect 28,116 more officials who are LGBTQ, the report found.