I really appreciate it when creators of infographics make things so easy to decipher in their little charges, like Gallup did here to show the “moral acceptability” (hah!) of gay relationships has “crossed the symbolic 50% threshold in 2010,” according to its annual Values and Beliefs survey, which also found a 16 point spike in support from Catholic Americans. Now if they could only use colors besides green, that would really help color blind-ish folks like me tell which slanty line is which.
Chris
Good, maybe some of the old homophobes are finally dying off.
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
@Chris: Bingo, Ya know the saying “Fcuk off and die”?……we literally have to wait for them to do so.
Chris
@PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS: Or slip a little something in their pudding cups.
Andy
Woohoo, a majority thinks, or at least says, that we’re acceptable!
Lamar
I’m not trying to be negative but just because they believe in their heart it is acceptable doesn’t mean they won’t use gay as a derogatory adjective, join in bullying gay etc. because society pressures us to see difference as abnormal even when we know better.
j
We’re winnin’.
scott ny'er
@Lamar: Or vote for us or vote for people who support us.
B
It also explains Proposition Eight and why they put it on the ballot in 2008: they were getting as close to the crossover point as possible but while still on their side of it, so the inevitable would be stalled as long as possible.
Lamar
@scott ny’er: Exactly
NickadooLA
I actually think the poll suggests something slightly more optimistic than “old homophobes dying off.”
Attitudes among men 50 years old and over have improved by 6 percentage points. I think that number is probably higher than the mortality rate among men 50 years and older. Even factoring in the number of people who aged from 49 to 50, this suggests that attitudes are actually improving among the living.
I could be wrong, though.
jeffree
Age, rural/ urban location & whether people actually know a gay person seem to help explain why some people are more or less homophobic. Religious participation plays a role too, although thats a sticky subject because its supposedly hard 2 measure. Affilliation is one thing, actual participation is another…
E.g. How lutheran am I really if I never go to church?
The trend toward greater acceptance is what pishes off & riles up the religious right. They get their church members out to vote in big #s, so attitudes dont always get reflected in votes on SSM at the state level… also, many fewer under 25s [maybe 30s?] vote than the over 40s.
[see my ongoing college education is actually teachin’ me a thing or2 !]
PopSnap
This is why everyone needs to calm down. We got this.
B
No. 10 · NickadooLA wrote, “I actually think the poll suggests something slightly more optimistic than ‘old homophobes dying off.’
Attitudes among men 50 years old and over have improved by 6 percentage points. I think that number is probably higher than the mortality rate among men 50 years and older.”
It’s not clear. They use broad categories like “50 years and older” because the sample sizes typically are around 1000. But, attitudes in the “50 and older” group probably also vary significantly by age, with the highest level of age-correlated homophobia being in the oldest of the lot (the ones most likely to die given their advancing years).
keith
Well that means 48% of the people think your queer and 25% of the 52% are tired of the bullshit. Keep your sex life to yourself.
xander
@keith : Keep yours to yourself.
You’ve entirely missed the point: public opinion in the US is without a doubt moving to greater acceptance of marriage equality. You’re on the losing side of history, i.e. people with your view are increasingly outnumbered and are dying off. No pity, that.