Utah is named America’s most closeted state: Beehive State residents come first in the nation for Googling the terms ‘Am I gay?,’ ‘Am I lesbian?’ and ‘Am I trans?’
- Data from Google searches spanning nearly two decades has revealed that Utah ranks as the most closeted state in the United States
- Analysis conducted by Cultural Currents Institute (CCI) using Google Trends data shows Utah topping list for searches related to questioning sexual identity
- CCI study examining trends in public opinion, highlighted a nationwide increase of 1,300% in searches related to sexual & gender identity questions since 2004
Almost two decades of Google searches have revealed Utah to be the nation’s most closeted state.
Data collected from Google between 2004 to 2023 sees Utah coming top of searches for terms such as ‘Am I gay?’, ‘Am I lesbian?’, and ‘Am I trans?’.
Conversely, the state did not come on the top five states for residents searching ‘How to come out’ and ‘non-binary.’ In that instance Oklahoma and Vermont placed top respectively.
The research analyzed Google Trends data was looked at by the Cultural Currents Institute (CCI) which studies trends in public opinion.
Supporters hold a pro-gay marriage rally outside the Utah State Capitol in 2014. In June 2015, the Supreme Court struck down all state bans on same-sex marriage legalizing it in all states
The findings also revealed searches relating to sexual and gender identity questions have went up by 1,300% since 2004 nationwide.
According to the CCI, the analysis suggests that Utah might be the ‘most closeted state’ in America.
Such a high level of searches over sexual and gender identity could suggest an internal struggle between personal feelings and societal expectations among internet users in Utah.
The organization suggested that other socially conservative states also showed a similar amount of tension between social attitudes and the private thoughts obtained by search engine results.
In June 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down all state bans on same-sex marriage, legalizing it in all fifty states.
People hold signs and cheer at a same-sex marriage celebration in Utah in October 2014
After Utah the states of Iowa, Indiana. West Virginia and New Hampshire made up the top five of users asking if they were gay.
For those questioning whether they might be lesbian, the states of Connecticut, Kentucky, Washington and Colorado rounded out the top five.
And for those wondering if they were trans, Kentucky, Colorado, Michigan and Washington came top of the search rankings over the last 19 years.
Social attitudes around sexual orientation and gender identity over the last two decades has evolved.
The shift in public conversation and awareness has also given rise for many to ask questions about their own sexual and gender identity.
Google Trends data collected between 2004 to 2023 sees how the attitudes have evolved over the years.
Among the five search terms considered—’am I gay’, ‘am I lesbian’, ‘am I trans’, ‘how to come out’, and ‘nonbinary’—a significant upward trend was observed across the U.S., with the searches in some states more pronounced than others.
