According to a report from the Public Religion Research Institute, which was released on Tuesday, support for legislation that protect LGBTQ people from discrimination significantly decreased among adults in the United States last year.
But a majority of Americans continue to support LGBTQ rights and protections in housing, work, and open hotel, said PRRI, a nonprofit that conducts research on faith, culture, and public policy.
The document surveyed more than 22,000 US adults’ views on LGBTQ rights, including equality protections, same-sex marriage, and whether small business owners may fail to deliver products or services by citing their theological beliefs.
Respondents were asked whether they favor or oppose rules that would protect “LGBTQ Americans from discrimination in housing, work, and open accommodation”, PRRI said. Last year, 76% of adults said they supported those policies, down from 80% in 2022, according to PRRI.
Democrats’ support for those protections remained constant over the past two years, but Republicans’ support decreased from 66% to 59%, according to the findings.
The PRRI findings show a gradual decline in support among Americans between the ages of 18 and 29 despite the fact that all age groups support nondiscrimination laws. In the past three years, support went from 83% in 2020 to 75% last year.
Last year, 67% of American adults said they support same-sex marriage, down from 69% in 2022, PRRI found.
Overall, the survey found that the majority of Americans, regardless of their race or ethnic background, support same-sex couples. That includes 56% who identified as Black, 63% as Hispanic, 69% as White, and 75% as Asian American or Pacific Islander, according to the report.
Among religious groups, the PRRI report shows that Hispanic Catholics had a notable decline in support for same-sex marriage, going from 75% in 2022 to 68% in 2023.
While 82% of Democrats favor same-sex marriage, Republicans appear divided on this issue, the PRRI report says. Republicans are 47% more likely to be opposed to same-sex marriage than the share who are in favor is 51%.
LGBTQ identity
According to the report, 10% of Americans identified as LGBTQ members last year, describing them as a “very young and diverse population.”
Twenty-two percent of Americans aged 18-29 identify as LGBTQ, compared to 10% of people ages 30-49, 6% of people between 50 and 64 years old, and 3% of people 65 years or older, according to the report.
Nearly 46% of LGBTQ Americans said they are Democrats, 30% are Independents and 8% said they are Republicans, the survey found. A majority, 52%, said they are “religiously unaffiliated”.
When looking at race and ethnicity, a majority, 59%, of LGBTQ Americans identify as White, 20% as Hispanic, 11% as Black, 5% as Asian American or Pacific Islanders, the report said, noting this is “similar to the US adult general population”.
The findings are based on a survey of more than 22,000 randomly selected adults from across the country.
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