New Poll: American Opinion On GLBT Rights

Thanks to the folks at GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) we have a whole new set of survey numbers about American opinion about the various rights that GLBT people might be worthy of. Surprisingly, it’s not all bad news!

Here are the key findings (pdf) from the poll of 2,008 adults conducted November 13-17:

– Three-quarters of U.S. adults (75%) favor either marriage or domestic partnerships/civil unions for gay and lesbian couples. Only about two in 10 (22%) say gay and lesbian couples should have no legal recognition. (Gay and lesbian couples are able to marry in two states, and comprehensive civil union or domestic partnership laws exist in only five others and the District of Columbia.)

– U.S. adults are now about evenly divided on whether they support allowing gay and lesbian couples to legally marry (47% favor to 49% oppose).

– Almost two-thirds (64%) of U.S. adults favor allowing openly gay military personnel to serve in the armed forces. (The current “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law bans military service by openly gay personnel.)

– About six in 10 (63%) U.S. adults favor expanding hate crime laws to cover gay and transgender people. (Hate crimes laws cover gay and transgender people in 11 states and the District of Columbia, and an additional – 20 states’ laws cover sexual orientation but not gender identity.)

– A slight majority of U.S. adults (51%) favor protecting gay and transgender people under existing laws that prohibit discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations. (Existing non-discrimination laws cover gay and transgender people in only 12 states and the District of Columbia, and eight other states’ laws cover sexual orientation but not gender identity.)

– Nearly seven out of 10 U.S. adults (69%) oppose laws that would ban qualified gay and lesbian couples from adopting children. (In several states, gay and lesbian couples are banned from adopting.)

Of course, adoption and relationship recognition are decided on a state basis, not federal, so overall favorable national opinion matters less than for military service, hate crimes, and non-discrimination. President-Elect Obama promised to move on these three federal issues: getting rid of Don’t-Ask-Don’t-Tell, enacting hate crime legislation, and passing an inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act (iENDA).  He also promised to seek repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act, which limits federal recognition of state-sanctioned same-sex relationships, so the three-quarters of Americans who want those relationships recognized could also get their wish at the federal level.

How quickly will Obama move, faced with clear majorities who favor these issues? Will the economic meltdown consume all the energy on Capitol Hill and at the White House? Will there be quick consideration for campaign promises that affect human rights of actual Americans?

Yes, we can. You taught us to sing it out, Barack Obama.

Don’t let us down, please.