Visualizing the feelings of both LGBTQ+ individuals and non-LGBTQ+ individuals

Dentsu Inc. conducted its fifth annual "LGBTQ+ Survey 2023" this year (*). This series analyzes the survey results from various perspectives (see the previous article here ).

What feelings do LGBTQ+ individuals and non-LGBTQ+ individuals each hold?

This time, we present an excerpt from the digital handbook " Things I've Always Wanted to Ask," created based on the survey results.

The survey was conducted primarily by the dJ Sustainability Promotion Office, an organization within dentsu Japan of the Dentsu Group, with the cooperation of the Dentsu Diversity Lab, which conducts research and provides solutions on diversity, equity, and inclusion issues.

Misunderstandings stemming from the lack of visibility into the feelings of both individuals and non-individuals

The survey found that 47.2% of LGBTQ+ individuals responded that "being part of the LGBTQ+ community sometimes causes anxiety or makes life difficult (or somewhat makes life difficult)." This figure is almost unchanged from the 48.9% reported in the 2020 survey.

While awareness of the term LGBTQ+ has grown and opportunities to see corporate diversity and inclusion initiatives have increased, it appears that anxiety and difficulties in daily life persist for those directly affected.

So what exactly are these anxieties and difficulties? Listening to the voices of those directly affected reveals concerns beyond marriage issues, such as: "When I think about the future, I feel anxious that I won't be able to have a family (20s, L)." Others expressed fears of discrimination and prejudice, such as: "I worry I might be seen as disgusting or difficult to deal with (20s, L)." "I hate the idea of being seen as creepy or difficult to deal with (20s, B)."

Meanwhile, 84.6% of non-LGBTQ+ respondents stated, "If someone came out as LGBTQ+, I would want to accept them as they are." This suggests a potential disconnect arising from the lack of visibility into the feelings of both LGBTQ+ individuals and non-LGBTQ+ individuals.

We believe this occurs because there are insufficient opportunities for individuals and non-individuals to communicate their feelings to each other. Therefore, we created the digital handbook "Things I've Always Wanted to Ask" to facilitate dialogue by visualizing each other's feelings through data.

This handbook aims to visualize awareness more comprehensively by presenting not only quantitative results from the "LGBTQ+ Survey 2023" but also specific voices from both LGBTQ+ individuals and non-LGBTQ+ individuals gathered through additional qualitative research. It is structured around four themes: "COMING OUT," "COMMUNICATION," "DAILY LIFE," and "LOVE." Here, we present some of its contents.

Approximately 80% of non-LGBTQ+ individuals view coming out positively

The first theme, "COMING OUT," visualizes the anxieties individuals with disabilities feel about coming out and how non-disabled individuals perceive coming out.

The results show that while individuals experience various anxieties, the majority of non-LGBTQ+ individuals view being told positively.

For example, while about 43.3% of LGBTQ+ individuals worry that "coming out might make them feel like a burden," 77.7% of non-LGBTQ+ individuals responded that they "feel happy and trusted."

Qualitative research revealed voices from LGBTQ+ individuals expressing concerns like, "I want our relationship to stay the same, but I worry they'll become overly conscious of me, making it hard to tell them." This anxiety stems from uncertainty about how others perceive LGBTQ+ identities.

Conversely, non-LGBTQ+ individuals expressed positive perspectives rooted in their relationship with the individual, such as: "I think it takes a lot of courage to come out, and since it's not something you tell just anyone, I feel trusted."

Furthermore, 87.6% of non-LGBTQ+ individuals responded, "I think the individual's decision to come out or not should be respected." This indicates that the majority view coming out positively, respecting the individual's choice, rather than adopting a binary perspective of wanting someone to come out or not wanting them to.

Conversely, 36.1% of individuals who identify as LGBTQ+ stated, "In workplaces or schools where I haven't come out, I sometimes struggle to express my opinions or be myself." This indicates that whether they choose to come out or not, they face worries and anxieties.

While it is important to recognize that some individuals do indeed face various worries and anxieties about coming out, the majority of non-LGBTQ+ individuals express a positive desire to be supportive regardless of whether someone comes out. We believe that making this understanding widely known is crucial in the process of alleviating the anxieties and difficulties faced by LGBTQ+ individuals.

Misunderstandings due to differences in awareness

The second theme, "COMMUNICATION," visualizes the perceptions felt during communication between individuals who are and are not directly affected.

Here, it became clear that while both parties want to build better relationships with each other, there is also anxiety and fear about being hurt (or hurting others).

For example, while 58.0% of individuals responded, "I wish people wouldn't overly focus on the fact that I'm LGBTQ+ when talking to me," 77.3% of non-individuals responded, "I don't know how deeply I can delve into conversations with individuals."

Voices from LGBTQ+ individuals expressed a desire for closer communication, such as "If someone has come out to me, I want to share more personal things with them than before." Conversely, non-LGBTQ+ individuals voiced concerns stemming from their desire to be supportive, stating things like "I don't want my words to make them uncomfortable, so I sometimes worry about how much I can delve into personal matters."

Meanwhile, 78.4% of non-LGBTQ+ individuals stated, "If I said something that hurt an LGBTQ+ person, I'd want them to tell me." However, 48.9% of LGBTQ+ individuals responded, "If someone said something I felt was disrespectful about my gender identity or sexual orientation, I'd distance myself from them, even if they meant no harm."

This shows that the consideration born from both individuals (sometimes assuming coming out) desiring close relationships can, if left unspoken, actually create a gap in the relationship. It highlights the importance of both parties articulating and communicating their thoughts.

Despite both parties wanting a good relationship, to prevent such unfortunate misunderstandings, it's clear that building a better relationship requires both parties—not just one—to communicate "what kind of communication they want to have (or wish to receive)."

Beyond the data presented in this article, the digital book "Things I've Always Wanted to Ask" visualizes the feelings of both LGBTQ+ individuals and non-LGBTQ+ individuals from various perspectives. It also explores topics rarely addressed in society, such as the future surrounding children of same-sex couples and matters concerning same-sex relationships. The digital book can be downloaded (free of charge) here. We encourage you to make use of it.

Finally, a common thread across all the data is this reality: LGBTQ+ individuals still face numerous situations where they feel anxiety and difficulty navigating life. On the other hand, across every theme, the majority of people express a desire to "support and stand by them."

This time, we focused on unspoken feelings and worked to visualize them using data. However, we believe it is most important that these feelings are properly articulated and conveyed. We hope this will help alleviate, even slightly, the anxieties and difficulties experienced by those directly affected.

[Survey Overview]
"Dentsu Inc. LGBTQ+ Survey 2023" Overview
Survey Sponsor: dJ Sustainability Promotion Office
Survey Cooperation: Dentsu Inc. Diversity Lab

＜About Published Scores＞
Survey Participants: 6,240 individuals aged 20-59 (600 LGBTQ+ individuals / 5,640 non-LGBTQ+ individuals)
Survey Area: Nationwide
Survey Period: Wednesday, June 14, 2023 – Monday, June 19, 2023
Survey Method: Online survey

*Weighted by prefecture, gender, and age group (20s-30s / 40s-50s) to align with the proportion of LGBTQ+ individuals and the overall population composition.

<Regarding Published Comments>
Survey Target: Extracted from a total of 1,137 responses aged 20-69 (partial excerpts/summaries)
Survey Area: Nationwide
Survey Period: July 19, 2023 - August 29, 2023
Survey Method: Online survey

【Contact for Inquiries Regarding the Content of This Digital Book】
dentsu Japan dJ Sustainability Promotion Office
Email: sustainability@dentsu-group.com

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【Inquiries regarding LGBTQ+ solutions (for corporate clients)】
Dentsu Inc. Do! Solutions Operations Office
Inquiry Form: https://www.d-sol.jp/contact

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