I would consider it "colonization", since the article is about the dramatic increase in people identifying as LGB(TQ+)

Oh, duh. Lol I don't know how I didn't think of that, must've had a brain freeze yesterday. Thanks!

IMO, the statement of "claiming the identity and living the lifestyle" wasn't meant to be homophobic.

Well-- I'm not a mind reader, so I can't speak to the intentions of the article writer. However, the wording is such that it does imply that sexual orientation, and transgender/"queer" identification, are lifestyles-- a claim championed by many people, even if not the article writer.

I took it as him saying "people talk about and claim the label, but they aren't actually living real life as LGB".

Yeah I was hoping that was more what they meant, as well. But the wording is ambiguous enough that it could reasonably be worded either way.

Poor wording, perhaps due to older generations and/or language and teaching in different areas ... like how sometimes people will use "sexual preference" without realizing that it's no longer OK to refer to sexuality as "preference". It was fine at one time (but not anymore because of the insinuation of choice), and there's a learning curve to catch up.

That's true, it's a possibility. I think it's getting harder and harder these days to tell what is actually the case, though, because of a resurgence in (very intentional) homophobia.