Survey offers complex portrait of LGBT Americans

The Pew Research Center is releasing one of the largest and most detailed surveys ever conducted among gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans.

According to the findings, LGBT adults overwhelmingly report greater acceptance by the general public. Yet they are less happy than other U.S. adults, and many report instances of rejection and harassment.

Thirty-nine percent said that at some point they were rejected by a family member or close friend; 30 percent said they’d been physically attacked or threatened; 29 percent reported feeling unwelcome in a place of worship; and 58 percent said they’d been the target of slurs.

Compared with other adults, the LGBT respondents are more liberal politically and less religious. Forty-eight percent said they had no religious affiliation, compared with 20 percent of the general public.