Following a ruling last month by a Florida judge Cindy Lederman that the state’s ban on gay and lesbian adoptions is unconstitutional, a new poll shows the majority of voters side with the judge. 55% of those surveyed in a new Quinnipiac poll support a repeal of the law. It’s expected that the state will appeal to the Florida Supreme Court to overturn Lederman’s decision.
“Florida is currently the only American state that expressly bans all gays and lesbians from adopting.
The state does allow them to foster parent.
A Quinnipiac University poll of 1,370 Floridians found 39% in favour of the ban.
The poll sample was split on gay marriage. 31% opposed any legal recognition, 27% backed gay marriage and 35% approved of civil unions.
A national survey commissioned by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation of 2,008 US adults in November found 69% oppose laws that would ban qualified gay and lesbian couples from adopting children.”
TylerOakley
Finally, people are beginning to understand… or at least admit their support :]
John K.
“The People” of Florida are fucking morons. The poll says they favor recognition of gay relationships in one form or another by 62%, yet they just passed– by 62%– a BAN ON ANY GAY RELATIONSHIPS. And it’s because they don’t understand the English language or because they don’t bother to read what they are voting for, either way, they’re morons.
PearlsBeforeSwine
@John K.: It is the power of negative advertising. Most people claim to hate it, but in fact almost every election turns to negative campaigning because it works. If the Florida Supreme Court upholds striking down the ban, then the opposition will introduce a State Constitutional amendment banning gay adoption. Gay people will be profiled as child abusers and predators, and the amendment will be enacted.
blake
@PearlsBeforeSwine:
Hate sells. People want to be part of the in-crowd, whether that is the cool kids in high school or another grouping of people. The GOP had a great 40 year run using anti-black racism to win elections. Now they are using homophobia to win elections.
RichardR
Judge Cindy Lederman is among my new heroes/heroines. The phrase she used in her decision, “no rational basis” could be the slogan for just about all of our community’s legal and social battles.
I’ll bet Lamda Legal is all over this. And Pearls, you’re correct, any ensuing campaign will get nasty.
Wouldn’t it be great if “the state” were to quietly decide, well, she’s right, we’re gonna lose this one eventually, let’s save ourselves the time, money, and aggravation.
This could be a tide-turner for Florida.
Kid A
Florida is extremely bigoted. JUST YESTERDAY, a guy at a Taco Bell started giving me shit because I have a “I Support Equal Marriage Rights” sticker on my car. He kept telling me that I had no right to be there, and kept trying to get me outside to fight. The whole restaurant was watching, and none of the customers nor staff tried to settle the situation. Literally spent 5 minutes saying that he hated faggots, they should die, ect. I kept sitting and eating because I of course had the right to be there. The whole time I sat, he continued to stare at me, and then when I “dared” look at him, he freaked out because the fag was looking at him. We were shouting at the top of our voices, and at least 20 other people stood silently. In the end, he was on company time for a landscaping business, and I was able to get the number off the truck. Called his boss, who was somewhat apologetic.
Florida sucks.
John from England(used to be just John but there are other John's)
@Kid A:
I’d have punched him.
You’re very patient….but it’s good!
RichardR
@Kid A: Sorry you had to go through that, Kid, and good for you, calling the asshole’s boss. The restaurant’s manager should have helped.
Kid A
@John from England(used to be just John but there are other John’s): Well, I’m a starving college student, and he was about 35, and has a career of physical labor… Wouldn’t have been too promising! Of course, this alone doesn’t speak for all of Florida, but there are so many other local stories, that I’m left with nothing terribly positive to say about the state (or greater Orlando, that is.)
gregg
I doubt the validity of this poll. Florida just passed one of the free world’s most anti-gay measures ever just a few weeks ago. I’ve lived all of my life in Canada…first time I was ever called a faggot was on vacation in Ft. Lauderdale.
dfrw
That poll is garbage! Florida is an anti-gay, bigoted state and I am glad that I moved to Massachusetts. The religious wingnuts can have it.