Pew LGBT Survey: It Got Better

Ninety-two percent of America’s gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender adults say the world has become a more tolerant place for them in the past decade, according to a fascinating Pew survey of LGBT Americans. The same number expect it to get even more accepting in the next ten years. But it’s still bad: 39 percent had been rejected by a family member or close friend because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, and 21 percent had been treated unfairly by an employer. A staggering 30 percent have been physically attacked or threatened.

In terms of LGBT milestones, 12 is the median age at which respondents realized they might not be straight, they were sure about it at 17, and they came out at 20. Gay men beat lesbians and bisexuals out of the closet, and a greater percentage of respondents had come out to their mom than to their dad. Compared to the general public, LGBT respondents are: more liberal, less religious, less happy with their lives, and happier with the direction of the country. “They are also more likely to perceive discrimination not just against themselves but also against other groups with a legacy of discrimination.”

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One in Ten Americans Is a Shopaholic, Says Survey

A new survey shows that over one in ten Americans — 11 percent, to be exact — consider themselves to be shopaholics. This is no surprise, particularly considering the survey was done by CouponCabin.com, a website that lures people into buying things they probably don't need by offering temporary discounts:

A new CouponCabin.com survey reveals that 15 percent of U.S. adults report their shopping habits have put them in debt, with 20 percent of saying the most amount of shopping debt they've been in exceeds $5,000 [sic]. Two-in-five (41 percent) said at their peak, they've been in more than $1,000 of shopping debt. This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of CouponCabin.com from May 14th – 16th, 2013, among 2,052 U.S. adults ages 18 and older.

What's more, online shopping is much more addictive than hauling one's ass to a store and going through the rigmarole of actually paying for something in person.

Sure, this survey's sample group probably skewed towards more Internet-savvy shoppers, but it's true that the web often makes it way too easy to shop. In fact, I just bought a new pair of white jeans while writing this. A quick roundup from Cut staffers reveals similarly shameful behavior. A list of our most recent online impulse purchases:

Sally: I last bought a Phillip Lim dress, because Diana told me to. I defense shop often, like if there's only one size left — I'll just panic and buy.

Diana: I bought Asos flats from Rebecca's wedding slideshow. So it's her fault, really.

Maureen: I drunkenly placed a Seamless web order and then fell asleep and missed it. The delivery man left it by my door and I found it in the morning.

Emily: From Amazon — A pastry brush, a pitcher, and a fire extinguisher.

Kurt: I bought six Michael Bastian x Uniqlo polos. Because ... why buy one? I was also unsure which one I wanted, but the other problem is that I never return things.

Stella: A nut milk bag, on Amazon the other night.

The truth is, most of the shopping decisions we make are impulsive, and many of us constantly crave that jolt of satisfaction that comes with placing an order. In fact, maybe the real reason why Buzz Bissinger's recent GQ confessional was so harrowing is that we could all see a little bit of ourselves in his story. Or ... maybe we're even jealous.

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