aTypical Joe: a gay New Yorker living in the rural South

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Gallup: Tolerance for Gay Rights at High-Water Mark

There’s that word again! This time used to headline a Gallup Poll finding acceptance of gay people near an all-time high:

PRINCETON, NJ—Gallup’s annual Values and Beliefs survey, conducted each May, finds current public tolerance for gay rights at the high-water mark of attitudes recorded over the past three decades. There is still considerable public opposition to complete equality for gays, particularly with respect to marriage. However, after several years of lower support for gay rights, support is now springing back to the relatively high levels seen in 2003, just before the Supreme Court’s June 26, 2003, decision striking down a Texas sodomy law. (According to Gallup trends, that ruling appeared to produce a backlash of public opposition to gay rights.)

The clearest example of the recent renewal in pro-gay rights attitudes comes from a question asking Americans whether they believe homosexual relations should be legal. Public tolerance for this aspect of gay rights expanded from 43% at the inception of the question in 1977 to 60% in May 2003. Then in July 2003, it fell to 50% and remained at about that level through 2005. Last year, it jumped to 56% and this year it reached 59%, similar to the 2003 high point.

I have to say I find that astounding. Not that 59% think same sex relations should be legal. No, I find it astounding that 41% of Americans think it should be a crime to be gay! Even as just 10 days ago I wrote that the real agenda of the leadership of the anti-gay marriage crowd is to criminalize homosexuality.

But back to the good news:

A similar pattern is seen with attitudes about whether homosexuality should be sanctioned as an acceptable alternative lifestyle. Only 34% in 1982 believed it should be considered acceptable. This expanded to 54% in May 2003, only to drop to 46% two months later. Today’s 57% is the highest on record for this measure.

The trend in public support for gay marriage also shows a long-term increase in pro-gay rights attitudes, with the current result being the most affirming on record for gays, though still the minority view.

53% oppose it, 46% support it. Poll or no poll I think popular acceptance of naturally occurring and consensually practiced same sex attraction is bound to increase and here to stay.