New studies show that young people are finding religion more and more unappealing.

New figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) indicate that most gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans people in England and Wales do not have any religious affiliations.

According to Pink News, he data was published on April 4 as part of a release which combines sexual orientation and gender identity statistics with variables collected in the 2021 census.  

The breakdown of religious identity by sexuality and gender is a first of its kind by the ONS. 

Within the data, ten categories were used to identify religious beliefs: none, Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, other, not answered and does not apply. 

The figures revealed that 63 per cent of LGB people and 36 per cent of trans people have “no religion”.  Meanwhile, the over-all census results for England and Wales showed that 37 per cent of the total population are not religious.

Of LGB people and trans people who do identify as having a religion, Christian was the most common answer. Thirty-six per cent of trans people and 26 per cent of LGB people identified as Christians. 

Two per cent of LGB people and 15 per cent of trans people identified as Muslim, while six per cent of LGB people and 10 per cent of trans people ticked “other religion”. 

Gay Christian and former government equalities advisor Jayne Ozanne said it was no surprise that a majority of LGBTQ+ people are not religious given how “most religions judge, condemn and ostracise” the community. 

While it should be remembered that questions regarding sexuality and gender identity were voluntary, with those who are conflicted or nervous about openly self-identifying most likely to be religious and therefore not included in these statics. It is a fact that many LGBT+ people leave their faith communities because of the way they are treated by them.

Nick Baldwin, LGBT Humanists co-ordinator added:

That most LGBT people are non-religious is no surprise, given the history of homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia by many religious groups.

US study shows an increasing move away from religion by young people

Image via YouTube

Meanwhile The Friendly Atheist, Hermant Mehta, above, reports that the youngest Americans “are the least likely churchgoers we’ve ever seen.”

This is shown in new data from the Cooperative Election Study and analyzed by sociologist Ryan P. Burge.

Said Mehta:

Nearly half of Gen Z (born after 1996) has no religious affiliation whatsoever. It’s an astonishing change that shows how the grip of faith has loosened over time and how organized religion itself is no longer seen as useful for young people whose lives have been upended by conservative beliefs and the loudest voices inside those denominations.

He quotes Burge as saying:

It seems statistically justifiable to say that by the time the United States has another presidential election, half of Generation Z will identify as atheist, agnostic, or nothing in particular. 

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