Majority favors new civil rights laws to protect LGBT people: poll

A slim majority of Americans favors new civil rights protections for the LGBT community, according to a new Gallup poll released Thursday. 

About 53 percent of Americans said they believe new civil rights laws are needed to reduce discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. The poll’s release comes about a month after the House passed the Equality Act, which includes protections for LGBT people from discrimination in employment, housing and other areas. 

{mosads}The bill, which was passed two days after Gallup began surveying for the poll on May 15, is unlikely to be taken up in the Senate. President Trump has also indicated he opposes the legislation. 

Backing for new LGBT protections has ticked up slightly since the last time Gallup polled for legislative support in 2017, rising 2 points from 51 percent. 

Support for new legislation falls sharply along partisan lines, with 74 percent of Democrats backing new laws, while only 27 percent of Republicans say that legislation is needed. 

Despite existing opposition to new civil rights laws, an overwhelming majority (93 percent) support ensuring LGBT individuals have equal employment opportunities.

Fifty-five percent of Americans say they believe that most people feel same-sex relations are acceptable, a figure that marks a significant increase from the 21 percent who said the same thing in 2001, the only other time Gallup has asked the question.

The perceptions of acceptance of the LGBT community has risen by double digits among all demographic groups. 

Americans are more likely to personally believe same-sex relations are moral (63 percent) or that they should be legal (83 percent). 

“This suggests there is a disconnect between how Americans actually feel about same-sex relations and what they believe others think,” Gallup notes.

The Gallup poll surveyed 1,017 adults from May 15 to 30 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.