Why gay people are bad

As the Supreme Court readies its long-awaited ruling on same-sex marriage, two Pew Research Center surveys this spring — one of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender adults and the other of the American public — found a common thread: that society as a whole has become more accepting of gays and lesbians.

That finding has its caveats. On the part of the general public, opposition to same-sex marriage remains substantial, and religious beliefs are a major factor. The surveys do not offer a perfect comparison. The survey of the general public focused on views of gay men and lesbians.

Part 1: Opinion of Homosexuals

But taken together, the surveys offer some commonalities in several areas: acceptance, the experience of telling friends and family, the importance of personal contact, and in the difficult terrain of religion. A March-April survey of the general public also showed that, in recent years, there has been a decline in the percentage of Americans who think that more gays and lesbians raising children is a bad thing for American society.

Relatively few said it resulted in their relationships growing weaker. LGBT adults believe that greater social acceptance has come as a result of more Americans knowing someone who is lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, according to our survey. Individual relationships and the role of well-known public figures, like Ellen DeGeneresare viewed as being the most helpful things in fostering acceptance.

The survey of LGBT adults found that many in that community saw major religious institutions as unfriendly toward them. Bruce Drake is a former senior editor at Pew Research Center. Short Reads. June 25, By Bruce Drake. Religion The survey of LGBT adults found that many in that community saw major religious institutions as unfriendly toward them.

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