2023 LGBTQ+ Survey Report

Montgomery County Government is committed to serving our diverse LGBTQ+ communities. To ensure this commitment goes beyond rhetoric and inspires action, it is essential to understand LGBTQ+ community members’ lived experiences and self-identified needs.

To this end, Montgomery County’s LGBTQ+ Advisory Group initiated an LGBTQ+ Community Survey in June and July 2022. The survey was designed to help County leadership establish a foundational understanding of the experiences of LGBTQ+ persons in Montgomery County that can inform and guide the County’s work in this community going forward, as well as provide a baseline with which to compare progress in the future.

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Most respondents (74.3%) agree or strongly agree that Montgomery County is a safe place to live openly as a member of the LGBTQ+ community. Businesses, nonprofits, and schools/colleges topped the list of places that respondents expressed feeling safe and welcome.
Nearly one-third of respondents said they have never been tested for HIV, despite CDC recommendations for routine HIV screening for everyone ages 13-64.
Over a quarter of respondents reported having to teach their healthcare provider about their sexual orientation or gender identity to receive appropriate care.
Overall, respondents felt most comfortable with others knowing their sexual orientation and gender identity at home, and least comfortable in faith communities.
Notably, 44.9% of respondents reported experiencing discrimination in at least one place over the past year with nearly one in four respondents (23.8%) stating that they experienced this in a public space.