Cultural Shift Toward Gays Comes from Surprising Corners
Released on the same day as the May 25th CNN poll showing almost 80 percent of Americans in favor of DADT repeal, a Gallup poll reveals that attitudes toward gay and lesbian relationships has reached a major turning point – particularly among Catholics and men.
This morning, the Washington Post’s Jonathan Capehart highlights this shift:
“For the first time, a majority of Americans (52 percent) view gay and lesbian relationships as morally acceptable. Men (53 percent) are more accepting than women (51 percent). Young men and women ages 18 to 49, are especially okay with such relationships, 62 percent to 59 percent, respectively.”
Capehart also discusses how this cultural evolution is being driven largely by the changing attitudes of Catholics:
“In May 2006, just 46 percent [of Catholics] thought those relationships were ‘morally acceptable.’ Four years later, a whopping 62 percent shared that view. What’s also interesting is that Catholics’ growing acceptance of homosexual relationships is greater than that of Protestants.”
06-07-10 By Paul DeMiglio, Senior Communications Manager |
5 Comments
Comments for this entry are closed.Rich on June 07, 2010 at 10.55 pm
We have plenty of military installations that are not in conservative states and that have relatively large populations of gay and lesbian servicemembers. Camp Pendleton near San Diego, CA comes to mind. ADM Mullen has given us nothing but hollow statements. I was thrilled with his testimony before the SASC, but since that time there has been no action on the part of CJCS to suggest that a non-discriminatory policy is going to come from the Pentagon. Every action being taken with the CRWG study group suggests that the voices of anti-gay bigots are being amplified and the voices of gay and lesbian servicemembers suppressed. Don’t be surprised with the Pentagon’s study group recommends a continuation of discriminatory practices against gay and lesbian servicemembers. If we accept another DADT compromise—17 years after the original compromise—we’re destined for decades more of discrimination and subhuman treatment.
Mike in Columbia, SC on June 07, 2010 at 10.40 pm
Rich, that’s really not fair to the CJCS. Adm Mullen has been with us the entire time. I don’t know your background, but Ft. Bragg and Ft. Benning are two MAJOR US Army posts that are and have been heavily engaged in AFG and IRQ. It is natural for him to visit those places. Face it, a lot of our major military bases are located in generally very conservative states. Ft. Campbell, the other major post that comes to mind, is in TN as I’m sure you know. I GREATLY admire Adm Mullen and am proud of him! Everywhere he goes, he states that DADT just doesn’t seem to be a top issue with the troops…thus proving what he already suspects. The DADT repeal compromise is a reality of our political process. I’ll take it!
Rich on June 07, 2010 at 07.51 pm
This is why the CJCS is now trying to drum up negative feedback to DADT repeal by visiting the most conservative enclaves of the country. In the days after DADT repeal legislation was voted on by the House and SASC, ADM Mullen immediately made a tour of Fort Bragg, NC, Charleston, SC, and Fort Benning, GA. He urged the populations of these conservative military strongholds to give feedback to his rigged study group. Don’t be surprised when the study group comes out with a recommendation in Decemember that we leave DADT alone and continue the discrimination.
Jay H on June 07, 2010 at 06.40 pm
Its nice to see that the MAJORITY of the country is in favor of gays and lesbians. My question then is if the majority of the country is in favor of something, why are the old hypocrites in Washington afraid to vote in favor of something that their constituents support?
Bill on June 07, 2010 at 03.17 pm
Strange. If I am reading this and other polls correctly, Americans are much more accepting of ending DADT than of LG relationships in general. The detractors of ending DADT know, however, that once LG is accepted in the military, acceptance elsewhere will follow—but it may take a while, just as with the case after Truman ended official military racism so long ago.