A new poll released this week shows a
plurality of American adults disapprove of President Donald Trump's
handling of LGBT rights.
Pollsters surveyed 1,500 U.S. adults
between March 25 and 27 on a range of issues, including their views on
trade and social media websites.
According to the results of The
Economist/YouGov Poll, 29 percent of respondents approve of the
way Trump is handling gay rights. Twelve percent said that they
strongly approve, while 17 percent somewhat approve. Forty-four
percent of respondents said that they disapprove of the way Trump is
handling the issue ( 35% strongly disapprove, 9% somewhat
disapprove). Twenty-seven percent of respondent had no opinion.
Respondents were also asked whether
they “favor or oppose allowing transgender people to serve openly
in the military?” A plurality (49%) said that they support
transgender troops (31% strongly, 18% somewhat), while 34 percent
said that they remain opposed (23% strongly, 11% somewhat).
Seventeen percent of respondents said that they didn't know.
Similar numbers were found on Trump
issuing a ban on transgender people serving in the military, with 48
percent saying they disapprove (35% strongly, 13% somewhat) and 24
percent saying they approve (24% strongly, 10% somewhat). Eighteen
percent answered “not sure.”
(Related: Despite
court orders, Trump announces new ban on transgender troops.)
In a blog post, Kathy Frankovic, a
leading expert in public opinion polling, said that the poll shows
that Americans don't want a ban on transgender troops.
“There is relatively little
difference between the general opinion about transgender troops and
opinion about the president's specific decision to ban them,”
Frankovic
wrote. “The overall assessment of the president's action is
negative – except among Republicans.”