Dear GLBT posters: Need help on finding statistics

[Ilsa]

to refute a sadly bigoted and hateful reply to a story about a gay bar in Galveston being targeted for violence. The reply said some ugly things about GLBTs, then said 75% of the American public backs his attitude.

I googled polling numbers on attitude on gay lesbian issues, etc, but have only found inconsistent snippets. Do you know of any good polls that reflect American attitudes on GLBT issues?

[Terran]

1. Having trouble too, but

you might cite this article: http://www.365gay.com/news/polls-show-shift-in-attitude-toward-gays/

I did see in one place that about 75% of men do oppose same sex marriage, but after that it gets better in almost every category, including civil unions.

[Ilsa]

4. Thanks! That gave me some ammo to reply. I hope it makes a dent

in his thick skull.

[Terran]

5. There's this too

http://www.pollingreport.com/civil.htm

which comes from a non-gay source, so possibly better to cite in this case...44% support civil unions.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

2. depends on the issue. marriage has less support than gays in the military

enda had more support etc

[La Lioness Priyanka]

3. here is a study i found

http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/Societal_attitudes_towards_homosexuality_-_Statistics/id/2113245

[Ilsa]

6. Thanks! I used this one too! 29 years ago, I discovered my attitudes

and beliefs about GLBTs and issues were wrong. My attitudes were "inactive", but wrong just the same. I hope some of this basic information can help another person to change.

[NMMNG]

7. I could get stats if you wanted something specific

But IMO you'd be better off telling him about the appeal to popularity fallacy. Then tell him that 75% of Americans support gays serving openly in the military and show him how you can cite big statistics just as well as he can.

It doesn't matter how many people back his attitude. This is America and we live, ostensibly, according to the Constitution and not by the whims of people's attitudes. He can hate people all he wants, but he still needs to follow the law, which is supposed to protect everyone equally.

[Stevenmarc]

8. Sorry but you don't have to statistically refute anything

The issue has nothing to do with statistical acceptance, it's a human rights issue first and foremost and human rights are human rights, period, end of story.

However, if you feel the need to respond to an issue of populist ideas and human rights you might want to remind people that people attitudes need to be legally nudged from time to time. For a significant time in this country the popular view was women shouldn't have the right to vote that viewpoint evolved and we can also look at the anti-miscegenation laws that banned interracial marriage, certainly at the time they existed they were widely accepted by the population but that didn't justify their existence, we evolved, and now it's time for another evolution.