A majority of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, or LGBT, adults in America feel more accepted in present-day society than they did a decade ago, a new survey released Thursday by the Pew Research Center showed.

About 92 percent of LGBT members surveyed by Pew said they are enjoying greater acceptance, but instances of harassment and rejection are still rampant.

The survey of 1,197 LGBT adults across the country showed that more than half -- 58 percent -- have been the target of slurs or jokes, and 39 percent said they have been rejected by a family member or close friend at some point in their lives.

In the workplace, 21 percent have been treated unfairly due to their sexual preferences, the survey showed.

"What we find is that for LGBT Americans, these are the best of times, but that doesn't mean these are easy times," Paul Taylor, the Pew Center's executive vice-president, told Associated Press.

This study coincides with another Pew report, which shows that societal acceptance of LGBT adults is on the rise. More number of Americans are in favor of same-sex marriages and the number of people who feel homosexuality should be discouraged has reduced.

On the same-sex marriage topic, there is a large gap between the views of LGBT adults and the general public, the survey showed. While 51 percent of the general public are in favor of gays and lesbians legally tying the knot, this number is still below the 93 percent of LGBT adults who favor same-sex marriage.

The study credits the public’s changing attitude toward LGBT adults to more people personally knowing someone who belongs to the LGBT community, and also to high-profile gay rights activists.

"Many are still searching for a comfortable place in a society where acceptance is growing but remains limited," Taylor told AP.

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