Census gives first ever snapshot of sexuality

DETAILS of the number of people in South Gloucestershire who identify as straight, gay or bisexual have been revealed for the first time.

A question on sexual orientation for people aged 16 and over was added to the 2021 Census by the Office for National Statistics.

A question on gender identity - whether a person identified with their sex as registered at birth - was also included among the questions for the first time ever.

The ONS says the information it has received as a result will be "vital in helping shape services in years to come".

However, as the questions were voluntary, one significant factor is the number of people who declined to answer either of them.

In South Gloucestershire, just over nine out of ten respondents (90.64%) said they were straight or heterosexual.

A total of 2.82% of respondents identified with a sexuality the ONS described as LGB+, with 1.29% saying that they were gay or lesbian; 1.24% bisexual; 0.19% pansexual (defined as attracted to people regardless of their sex or gender identity); 0.07% asexual (no sexual attraction to others), 0.02% queer (non-conventional sexuality) and 0.01% wrote in another sexual orientation.

However the second largest group was those who declined to answer the question about sexuality, who made up 6.53% of the population - more than double those who identified in an LGB+ category.

In Bristol 85.45% of respondents said they were straight or heterosexual.

More than twice the proportion of the Bristol population as in South Gloucestershire - 6.06%identified with an ONS LGB+ category: 2.2% said they were gay or lesbian; 3.08% bisexual; 0.49% pansexual; 0.11% asexual