A new survey released Wednesday found a
majority of Americans support ending the Boy Scouts of America's
(BSA) ban on openly gay scouts and leaders.
According to the Quinnipiac
(KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University Polling Institute, 55 percent of
respondents believe the ban should end, while 33 percent remain
opposed.
“Now that the Armed Forces ban on
openly gay service members has been lifted, and polls show increasing
acceptance of same-sex marriage, most American voters think it's time
to open up the Boy Scouts too,” Peter Brown, assistant director of
the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, said
in releasing the findings.
Strongest support for lifting the ban
is found among women (61%), white Roman Catholics (63%), African
Americans (57%) and Hispanics (57%).
Seventy-one percent of Democrats
support ending the ban, while 51 percent of Republicans remain
opposed. A plurality of men, 49 -to -39 percent, believe in
inclusive scouting.
The poll arrived on the same day the
BSA board announced that a vote on the ban would be delayed until
May.
(Related: Boy
Scouts delays decision on lifting gay ban.)