Social Acceptance of LGBT People in 174 Countries : 1981 to 2017

A.R. Flores

Understanding acceptance and rejection of LGBT people lies at the heart of understanding violence, discrimination, and a multitude of negative consequences arising from exclusion and unfair treatment. Using advanced statistical methods and computer modeling, researchers at the Williams Institute analyzed survey data from 174 different countries to produce the Global Acceptance Index (GAI), a measure of the relative level of social acceptance of LGBT people and rights in each country. The average levels of acceptance for LGBT people and their rights have increased globally since 1981. Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Canada, and Spain are the top five most accepting countries and all have increased in LGBT acceptance over time.