While overall violent crime decreased by 3% from 2022 to 2023, hate crimes against LGBTQ+ people rose 6%, according to new FBI data.
Sexual orientation and gender identity were the third and fourth most common reasons for someone to be targeted for their identity (after race/ethnicity and religion, with crimes against Black and Jewish people having the highest number). Among crimes based on sexual orientation, gay men were the most common victims. Anti-transgender crimes were second most common among anti-LGBTQ+ crimes.
The FBI recorded 2,296 hate crimes based on sexual orientation and 542 based on gender identity (not including gender-based crime for cisgender people) in 2023. Both of these numbers were higher than any year’s data on record.
The average number of hate crimes overall has been much higher since 2020 (with the exception of the month after September 11, 2001 which was the highest spike since the FBI began recording such crimes), but from 2022 to 2023 the total decreased by 0.6% while anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes specifically rose by six percent. Anti-LGBTQ+ crimes made up more than one in five hate crimes in 2023.
“Every lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer person in this country should be free to live their lives without fear that we’ll be the target of a violent incident purely because of who we are and who we love,” Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson said in a statement. “Make no mistake, politicians who spread disinformation and demonize our lives are contributing to this violence. This trend needs to end. LGBTQ+ people need full non-discrimination protections in law, nationwide. All law enforcement agencies must commit to fully reporting data on hate crimes in their communities. And politicians and community leaders across the country need to stop lying about our community and inciting hatred against us.”
