Not everyone in the LGBTQIA community is treated equally.
The support given to gay and lesbian rights continues to outpace that given to transgender and nonbinary individuals. This is according to an L.A. Times/NORC survey.
The poll was done at the University of Chicago, was designed in part to re-ask questions from a survey on American perceptions of gay and lesbian people that was conducted in 1985. Comparatively, there is an apparent dramatic shift in public opinion in nearly 40 years.
The poll particularly found:
- In 1985, 72% believed sexual relations between same-sex adults were always or almost always wrong; today, only 28% believe this.
- In 1985, 64% would be very upset if their child was gay or lesbian, and this dropped to 14% today.
- In 1985, 51% support laws protecting gay and lesbian people from job discrimination, and this increased to 77%.
The new L.A. Times/NORC survey also included questions on transgender and nonbinary people, aside from delving into other topics such as queer youth, education and medical care.
It additionally found:
- 1 in 4 people reported they would be very upset if their child was transgender or nonbinary. This is nearly double the number who would feel that way about a gay child.
- 80% somewhat or strongly approve of gay and lesbian people living as they wish, but only 67% say the same about transgender and nonbinary individuals.
According to Dan Malato, NORC’s senior research director, this shows that “some of the levels of acceptance just aren’t as high for trans and nonbinary people” as they are for gay men and lesbians.
In fact, when asked whether issues related to transgender and nonbinary people were important during election, 77% said they were a distraction.
So no… not everyone’s equal even in minority communities.
