Americans Support LGBT Civil Rights

PRRI has released a new landmark national survey of over 40,000 Americans including results for all 50 states that found approximately 7 in 10 Americans support nondiscrimination protections for our LGBT community. The survey also finds nearly 6 in 10 Americans oppose allowing small businesses to refuse services to gay & lesbian people based on religious objections. More than 6 in 10 Americans also support marriage equality. Not surprising the only major groups that oppose marriage equality are white evangelical Protestants & Republicans. Robert P. Jones PRRI CEO stated, "The broad support for laws to protect LGBT people from discrimination represents a rarity in our polarized politics today—an issue that actually brings Americans together across partisan, religious & geographic lines." Approximately 7 in 10 or 69% of Americans including majorities in all 50 states favor laws protecting LGBT people from discrimination in jobs, public accommodations & housing, virtually unchanged from 2017 levels of 70%. Though support is highest in Northeastern states at 72% & Western states at 72%, majorities in the Midwest came in at 68% & in the South 65% are also supportive. Even in states with the lowest levels of support, such as South Carolina at 58% & Arkansas at 56%, solid majorities support these policies. Another good statistic is that nearly 79% young Americans ages 18 to 29 support marriage equality with only 16% opposed & even among seniors ages 65 & older, nearly half 49% favor marriage equality today compared to 43% who are opposed. PRRI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to conducting independent research at the intersection of religion, culture & public policy. (Graphic by Richard Emmanuel)
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