http://www.gallup.com/poll/releases/pr990301b.asp

March 10,1999

Some Change Over Time in American Attitudes towards

Homosexuality, but Negativity Remains

By Frank Newport

GALLUP NEWS SERVICE

American attitudes towards 'homosexuality continue to show change, but in many ways

also continue to reflect a lingering reluctance on the part of the public to consider gay

and lesbian behavior to be either acceptable or legal.

Two questions Gallup has been asking for a number of years concern the legality of

homosexual relations, and the acceptability of homosexual lifeslyles- The legal

question is worded as follows: "Do you think homosexual relations between

consenting adults should or should not be legal?" Despite the enormous social change

that has occurred in the intervening time frame, the percentage of Americans that says

that such relations should be legal has risen only seven percentage points-from 43% to

50%—in the 22 years between 1977 and 1999. Exactly me same percentage of

Americans today say that such relations should not be legal as was the case in

1977-43%. (Those that have no opinion on the issue have dropped from 14% to 7%.)

The trend on this question over the years has been up and down. In some years, such

as 1986 and 1987, the percentage saying that such relations should be legal has been

above 50%. In 1989, on the other hand, the "legal" percentage dropped to 36%.

There has been slightly greater degree of change on the "acceptable lifestyle" question.

which asks Americans: "Do you feel that homosexuality should be considered an

acceptable lifestyle or not?" In 1982, when the question was first asked, only 34% of

the public said yes. Now, in Gallup's most recent survey, conducted in early February, half--exactly 50%--answer yes.

At the same time, regardless of the public's opinion about the basic legality of

homosexual relations, there is now little question in the eyes of the American public

that gays and lesbians should have equal employment rights. More than eight out of ten

of those polled in Gallup's February 8-9 poll say that homosexuals should have equal

rights in terms of job opportunities. The trend on this question has been fairly

straightforward—the current 83% figure can be contrasted to the 56% who agreed with

the equal rights proposition in 1977.

Gallup has asked for a number of years about homosexuals being hired for a series of

specific professions. In almost all cases, the percentage of the public saying that

homosexuals should be hired for the professions involved in the survey has increased

over time, although the range of such acceptability in the most recent survey fluctuates

from a high of 90% for salespersons to a low of 54% for elementary school teachers

and clergy:

• Salespersons—90% of Americans say that homosexuals should be hired as

salespersons, up from 68% in 1977

• Doctors-75%--up from 44% in 1977

• Members of the President's Cabmet-74%--up from 54% just seven vears ago in

1992

• The ArmedForces-70%--up from 51%in 1977, and up from 57% in 1992. The

year before President Clinton unveiled his controversial gays in the military plan in 1993

Modified Friday, November 21, 2008