America’s Growing Support for Transgender Rights
/In light of recent and ongoing challenges to the rights and identities of trans and gender nonbinary people, especially youth who are most vulnerable, it seems relevant to share verified data on the current levels of acceptance of transgender and gender nonbinary people. Below are some excerpts from a recent study documenting that support for transgender and gender nonbinary has increased, and that a much larger percentage of Americans are in favor of acceptance. Find more of the results from this study at the link below. This data all supports the need for more affirming environments for these communities.
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Published by: PRRI. June 11, 2019. Authors: Daniel Greenberg, Maxine Najile, PhD, Natalie Jackson PhD, Ovindamola Bola, Robert P. Jones, PhD.
“More than six in ten (62%) Americans say they have become more supportive toward transgender rights compared to their views five years ago. By contrast, about one-quarter (25%) say their views are more opposed compared to five years ago.
“About three-quarters (76%) of Democrats report they have become more supportive of transgender rights in the last five years, compared to 64% of independents and only 47% of Republicans. Notably, increased support crosses ideological divides within the parties. Conservative Republicans (40%) stand out as the only ideological group with less than half reporting increased support for transgender rights…
“Military Service
“Despite the Trump administration’s ban on transgender personnel in the U.S. military, more than six in ten (63%) Americans favor allowing transgender people to serve in uniform – a level of support that is unchanged from 2017 (64%)…
“Bathroom Accommodations
“Over the past few years, several so-called “bathroom bills” – legislation that would require transgender people to use bathrooms consistent with their sex assigned at birth – have appeared in state legislatures. Americans are divided over the policy (45% favor, 47% oppose).
“Overall support for this policy and the intensity of support has been fluid over the last few years. While the combined percentage of those who strongly favor or favor this policy has increased seven percentage points since 2017 (38%), the combined percentage of those who oppose or strongly oppose this policy has dropped by only three percentage points (a change that is not significant). This asymmetrical shift is mostly due to the significant proportion of Americans who say they are unsure what to think about the issue (12% in 2017 and 8% in 2019)…
“Having a Transgender Friend
“Almost three-quarters (73%) of Democrats report being somewhat or very comfortable with a close friend telling them they are transgender, compared to just over half (52%) of Republicans. The views of independents (64%) closely align with the public overall…
“Transgender Teacher
“A majority (56%) of Americans say they would be somewhat or very comfortable with a transgender teacher in a local elementary school. Almost seven in ten (68%) Democrats report being comfortable learning that a local elementary school teacher is transgender, compared to 56% of independents and just four in ten (41%) Republicans…
“Religiously unaffiliated Americans (67%) are the most likely among religious groups to report feeling comfortable learning that a local elementary school teacher is transgender, and almost as many Catholics (61%) agree. Slimmer majorities of white mainline Protestants (52%) and nonwhite Protestants (51%) would feel comfortable with a transgender teacher, but among white evangelical Protestants that figure drops to 42%...
“Having a Transgender Child
“Americans are evenly divided on how comfortable they would be with having their own child tell them they are transgender: 48% say they would be somewhat or very comfortable with this, while the same percentage says they would feel uncomfortable. Six in ten (60%) Democrats report they would be comfortable if their child told them they are transgender, compared to half of (50%) independents, and just one in three (33%) Republicans…
“A slim majority (52%) of women say they would feel somewhat or very comfortable if their child came out as transgender, compared to 44% of men…
“Transgender Stigma
“More than three-quarters (79%) of Americans believe that transgender people face at least some stigma in their community, including just under four in ten (38%) Americans who believe transgender people face a lot of it. Seventeen percent of Americans think that transgender individuals face no stigma within their community. Nearly three in four (74%) Americans think lesbian and gay people face at least some stigma in their community, and 70% think the same for bisexual people…
“Beliefs About Gender Identity
“Just over half (55%) of Americans believe there are only two genders, including 43% who say they feel strongly about this. Four in ten (40%) Americans believe that there is a range of possible gender identities, including nearly one-quarter (24%) who say they feel strongly about this.
“Nearly three-quarters (73%) of Republicans believe that gender is strictly binary, including 62% who strongly agree, compared to 50% of independents and 45% of Democrats. A majority (52%) of Democrats believe there is a range of possible gender identities, including 30% who say they feel strongly about this…
“Having a Transgender Child
“Americans are evenly divided on how comfortable they would be with having their own child tell them they are transgender: 48% say they would be somewhat or very comfortable with this, while the same percentage says they would feel uncomfortable. Six in ten (60%) Democrats report they would be comfortable if their child told them they are transgender, compared to half of (50%) independents, and just one in three (33%) Republicans…
“Personal Relationships
“Americans are significantly less likely to have close connections with transgender people than with gay, lesbian, or bisexual people. Less than one-quarter (24%) of Americans report having a close friend or family member who is transgender, compared to 46% who report having a bisexual close friend or family member, and nearly seven in ten (68%) who report having a gay or lesbian close friend or family member. Notably, the proportion of Americans who say they have a close friend or family member who is transgender has more than doubled since 2011 (11%)…