NEW GALLUP POLL SAYS AMERICANS THINK 1 IN 5 ARE GAY
In its Oct. 8th "Tuesday Briefing," the Gallup Organization released the results of its August 2002 poll revealing that Americans estimate that approximately 20% of the general population is gay or lesbian. Over the 25 years that the Gallup Organization has monitored public opinion of gays and lesbians, they have found a continual rise in public acceptance of the LGBT community.
Gallup, one of the most respected polling organizations in the world, asked Americans for their own estimate of the percentage of American men and women who are gay or lesbian. The average responses were that 21% of men are gay and 22% of women are lesbians. In fact, roughly a quarter of the public thinks more than 25% of men and 25% of women are gay. Gallup also noted that male respondents tended to give lower estimates of both the gay and lesbian populations than female respondents did, and that both sexes believe there are more gays of the opposite sex than of their own sex. At least one in six respondents did not offer an estimate.
"The growing visibility of gays and lesbians in our country naturally leads to questions about the size of our community." said Cathy Renna, GLAAD's news media director. "When you look at the recent Kaiser Family Foundation report and the attempts to count gay couples in the 2000 Census, we're seeing a growing desire to arrive at a more representative number. The Gallup numbers will certainly spur more debate and discussion, but the important message is that no matter what the numbers say, we are deserving of equal treatment and civil rights protections."
"While clearly not a scientifically accurate 'count,' the Gallup numbers demonstrate that the public realizes we are a significant part of the population," Renna said. "People are getting to know real gay men and lesbians as we come out in our communities and as the media more accurately represent us. This number is a guess -- but a much more informed guess than the public has been able to make in the past."
In November 2001, the Kaiser Family Foundation conducted a similar poll with similar results. Their survey of fifteen metropolitan areas found that 18% of those polled identified as gay, lesbian or bisexual. "It's very difficult to say why these numbers are so much higher than previous studies," noted Renna. "Clearly, the public realizes that the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community is sizable. Our hope is that this represents a better understanding of the complex nature of sexual orientation and a growing trend of respect and acceptance for our community and our lives."
ARICLES & RESOURCES:
The Gallup Organization - September 2002 "In-Depth Analysis: Homosexuality" by Frank Newport http://www.gallup.com/poll/analysis/ia020911vii.asp
Kaiser Family Foundation - Nov. 11, 2001 Inside-Out: A Report on the Experiences of Lesbians, Gays and Bisexuals in America and the Public's Views on Issues and Policies Related to Sexual Orientation http://www.kff.org/content/2001/3193/LGBToplines.pdf
Cathy Renna GLAAD News Media Director (212) 629-3322, ext. 108 (917) 239-0783 (cell) renna at glaad.org
Steve Crabtree Editor in Chief Gallup Poll Tuesday Briefing Steve_crabtree at gallup.com (202) 715-3170
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