The joyous celebrations of Pride Month are over, so it is time to take a more serious look at our situation since the new Administration has taken over.
In the past six months, there have been a terrifying blitz of executive orders and laws by state legislatures attacking the transgender community. That has not yet spread to the wider community perhaps because the Republicans have been so focused on this issue.
From 2021 to 2024, the percentage of Americans identifying as LGBTQ+ according to Gallup increased from 5.5 % to 9.3%. This indicates that more people are “coming out” in their communities. This increased visibility has led to greater acceptance. More than 70% of the public also still supports same-sex marriage. So which ways are the trends going?
Well, in terms of politics, the Republicans clearly are moving in the anti-LGBTQ+ direction, but the public is not following them as closely as they may think. Support for their actions is not expanding beyond their base. Many demographic characteristics are in play. It’s not just politics; age also is a major factor. Changing social norms also are important. Families, friends and many social groups (including churches) also are more welcoming than in the past.
Clearly, LGBTQ+ issues are part of the great divide in American Society today. Some wags have called it the “culture wars.” Our society is in the process of changing in terms of technology, social cohesion, economics, class, and education. Getting a good education no long carries the high level of ambition that it once did. We are reverting to the class distinctions of the “Robber Baron” era of 150 years ago. Apparently, the working class associate the LGBTQ+ community with higher cultural levels.
The Republicans successfully used class hatred, resentment, and insecurities as a political weapon. The Democrats completely missed this strategy in the 2024 election, so they lost. The Republicans and Democrats are strongly divided on this issue. Religious groups, however, are moving to become more accepting. The Mainline Protestant Denominations have expanded their views over the past 50 years as they split over the issue of homosexuality.
The urban/rural divide is still a factor as is the differences by region. People on the coasts are more accepting than those in the Midwest and the South. That possibly is because of the social norms in these regions.
The LGBTQ+ issue is just one over which our country is strongly divided. Our supporters and detractors are divided along political lines. The Republicans control the Presidency and Congress, so they have the power to do us harm. Same sex marriage seems safe for now. The question is how far can they go before they lose public support? I think that it is unlikely that they will be able to revert the law to make relations between people of the same sex illegal again. Serving in the military may become more problematic since they’ve already kicked trans people out.
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.