About four-in-ten U.S. adults (about 38%) say that greater acceptance of people who are transgender is generally good for the society, while 32% say it is bad, according to a recent survey by the PEW Research Centre.
The survey found that 29% replied that it was neither good nor bad. Moreover, the survey found a stark difference between Republicans and Democrats and views also vary among some key demographic groups, including groups within each party.
DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS
A majority of Democrats and those who lean toward the Democratic Party (59%) say that the greater acceptance of transgender people is good for society, while a majority of Republicans and Republican leaners (54%) say it is bad for society. Republicans are also slightly more likely than Democrats to say it’s neither good nor bad. Three-quarters of liberal Democrats say greater acceptance of transgender people has been good for society. This compares with 45% of moderate or conservative Democrats, 27% of moderate or liberal Republicans and just 8% of conservative Republicans. Meanwhile, 65% of conservative Republicans say acceptance of trans people has been bad for society, while just 6% of liberal Democrats say the same, the researchers noted. Republican men are more likely than Republican women to say greater acceptance of trans people is bad for society, and White Republicans are more likely than Hispanic Republicans to say the same.
Democrats are just about the mirror opposite of Republicans. A majority – including similar shares of men and women – say greater acceptance of people who are transgender is generally a good thing. Just as among Republicans, younger Democrats skew more positive on this issue, with 71% of 18-to 29-year-olds saying they think this is good for society, compared with six-in-ten of those ages 30 to 49 and about half of those 50 and older. Still, relatively small shares of Democrats across age groups say greater acceptance of people who are transgender is bad for society. About seven-in-ten Democrats with at least a bachelor’s degree say acceptance of trans people has been good for society, compared with about six-in-ten of those with some college experience and fewer than half of those with a high school diploma or less.
RACE AND ETHNICITY
Even though White adults overall are more likely than Black, Hispanic and Asian adults to say greater acceptance of transgender people is bad for society, this is quite different among Democrats. White Democrats, along with Asian Democrats, stand out as being most likely to say this is good for society. Democrats who know a trans person are more likely to say greater social acceptance is good (69% vs. 50% of those who do not know a trans person) and less likely to say it’s bad (10% vs. 16%) or neither good nor bad (21% vs. 33%). Republicans who know a transgender person are less likely than those who don’t to say greater acceptance of people who are transgender is bad for society (45% of those who know a trans person, vs. 60% of those who do not), and they are more likely to say it’s good or neither good nor bad.
PUBLIC VIEW
Younger adults, Asian Americans, those with a bachelor’s degree or more education and women tend to be more likely to say social acceptance of transgender people is good for society. On the other side, White adults, older people, those without a bachelor’s degree and men tend to be more likely to say greater acceptance is bad for society.
