A new survey finds a majority of
Americans support ending the Boy Scouts of America's (BSA) ban on
openly gay scouts and leaders.
In an ABC
News/Washington
Post
poll conducted by Langer Research Associates and released
Thursday, pollsters asked about the BSA's proposal to partially end
its gay ban.
Under the plan, set to be voted on
later this month, gay scouts younger than 18 would be permitted but
adults would continue to be banned.
Sixty-three percent said they support
allowing gay scouts, and a majority (56%) said they oppose the
organization's plan to continue to ban gay adults. Thirty-nine
percent favor keeping the ban on adults.
While a majority (56%) of Catholics
oppose the continue ban on gay scout leaders, Protestants are more
divided with 47 percent opposed and 49 percent in support.
Similarly, a majority of Democrats
(68%) and independents (61%) opposed the ban on gay adults, while 61
percent of Republicans support the proposed plan.