Monday, April 03, 2017

STUDY: Millennials Most Likely to Be LGBT or Accepting


Keeping his promises made to a who's who of Christian extremists in June, 2016, Der Trumpenführer is waging war on the LGBT community and has erased the LGBT community from the 2020 census, has rolled back discrimination protections put in place by President Obama, and has promised to sign the foul "First Amendment Defense Act" which would allow Christian extremists to discriminate at will against LGBT individuals, women who have had abortions, cohabitation unmarried couples, and potentially those who use contraception.  The good news is that many are not giving up the struggle for LGBT equality as exemplified by the Equality Virginia Commonwealth Dinner this past weekend. Even better news comes from a recent study (which can be found here) that found the Millennial s are the most pro-LGBT generation ever.  Indeed, 20% identified themselves as LGBTQ.  This contrasts sharply with aging white Christians who are anti-LGBT, but who are literally dying off.  The message?  Time is on the side of LGBT rights and, if the Republican Party continues its anti-LGBT jihad, the electoral consequences could be significant.  Here are highlights  from a piece in The Advocate:
Millennials are more likely to identify as LGBTQ and be accepting of LGBTQ people than older generations, yet overall lack of comfort with LGBTQ people remains substantial, according to a new GLAAD study.
The findings come in GLAAD’s third annual Accelerating Acceptance report, conducted for the organization by Harris Poll. Based on an online survey of 2,037 adults done in November, it was released Thursday.
It found 20 percent of Millennials — people age 18-34 — identify as LGBTQ, compared with 12 percent of Generation Xers (35-51), 7 percent of Baby Boomers (52-71), and 5 percent of Elders (72 and older). Millennials were more likely than others to use terms outside “gay/lesbian” or “man/woman” binaries, reporting they know people who identify as bisexual, queer, pansexual, or gender-fluid.
Among non-LGBTQ people, Millennials were the most likely to be allies. The study counted people as allies if they reported being very or somewhat comfortable with LGBTQ people in all situations. The figure was 63 percent for Millennials, 53 of Gen Xers, 51 percent of Baby Boomers, and 39 percent of Elders.
Thirty-four percent of respondents said they would be uncomfortable learning their child had a lesson on LGBTQ history in school, and 29 percent said they were uncomfortable seeing a same-sex couple holding hands. There was about the same level of discomfort with learning their doctor, their child’s teacher, or a family member was LGBTQ.
Still, there was much good news in the study, and acceptance among young people bodes well for the future, said GLAAD president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis. “As the [Trump] administration begins to fulfill its pledges to move the country backwards, many are concerned about progress made in recent years for the LGBTQ community,” she said in a press release. “However, this report shows a remarkable new era of understanding and acceptance among young people — an inspiring indication of the future. Though laws can be unwritten, hearts and minds in America have been changed for the better — and that is a reality less easily unraveled.”

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