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According to a recent research, Google queries about gender identity and sexual orientation have increased by 1,300% since 2004.

Data from Google searches from 2004 to May 2023, including queries like “Am I gay?” and “Am I trans?,” were released in research by the Cultural Currents Institute.

Searches were highest in Republican states, where attitudes to sexual orientation and gender identity tend to be more conservative.

Attitudes towards both have evolved significantly over the past two decades, leading many people to question their own identities.

Attitudes toward sexual orientation and gender identity have evolved significantly over the past two decades, leading many to question their own identity

The researchers looked at the search terms ‘am I gay’, ‘am I lesbian’, ‘am I trans’, ‘how to come out’ and ‘nonbinary’.

Red states like Utah are the “most closed,” according to the researchers, ranking at the top of three out of five search terms.

It had the most searches for ‘am I gay?’, ‘am I lesbian?’ and ‘am I trans?’.

The researchers said, “Utah, a state with traditionally conservative social values, surprisingly tops three of the five search term categories.

“This could indicate a significant underlying question about Internet users’ identities, possibly driven by the conflict between personal feelings and societal expectations.”

In late January, Utah introduced a ban on gender-affirming care for minors, barring those under the age of 18 from accessing puberty blockers and transgender surgeries.

It is also the center of Mormon cultural influence with over 1 million Mormons living there. Mormons generally consider being gay a sin.

Behind Utah in terms of Google searches for “am I trans” was the red state of Kentucky and the blue states of Colorado, Michigan, and Washington.

Blue state Vermont also had the highest number of searches for ‘nonbinary’, followed by other blue states Oregon and Maine, red state Montana and Washington.

The search term “am I nonbinary” had insufficient data for Google to provide results.

The researchers said, “For the term ‘non-binary,’ a term that has been less explored historically but has been gaining popularity in recent times, the top states tend to be more politically and socially progressive.”

After Utah, “am I lesbian” was searched for most in the blue states of Connecticut, the red states of Kentucky, and the blue states of Washington and Colorado.

The state with the most searches for “how to get out” was Oklahoma, followed by West Virginia, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Kentucky.

The data is relative to the total number of searches on Google, meaning that it takes into account that more people use the search engine today than in 2004.

The American Civil Liberties Union said a record 490 bills related to LGBTQ rights will be introduced in at least 45 states by 2023, with 57 already passed into law.

At least 17 states have enacted laws restricting or prohibiting gender-affirming care for transgender minors.

Some states have even considered banning care for transgender people up to the age of 26, such as Oklahoma, Texas and South Carolina.

Meanwhile, attitudes toward sexual orientation, especially among younger Americans, are becoming more open.

A report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention earlier this year found that a quarter of 14- to 18-year-olds said they identify as gay, bisexual, or have a more fluid sexuality by 2021 — a new high.

The others said they were bisexual (12.1 percent), gay or lesbian (3.2 percent), ‘different’ (3.9 percent) or ‘doubted’ about their sexuality (5.2 percent).

The percentage of students who do not consider themselves straight has more than doubled in recent years: from 11 percent in 2015 to 24.5 percent in 2021.

The number of alternative sexualities among school-age children is much higher than in the adult population – where about seven percent are gay, bisexual or otherwise.

Experts say the explosion of alternative sexuality among children can be partly attributed to its increased acceptance.

Dr. Mollie Blackburn, who teaches sexuality studies at Ohio State University, told DailyMail.com: “It is an increase in acceptance from both parents and society.

‘[Accepting people] creates a context where a child will be more willing to say they are gay.’

She does not think that the actual number of children who are really gay, lesbian or bisexual has changed in recent years, but that young people are now more willing to admit it.