Polls show shift in attitude toward gays in red states

[tko_ak]

In particular, in Florida and Utah (although Florida is purple).

Some highlights...

Florida, which passed an anti-gay marriage constitutional amendment in November:

• 55% of respondents favor lifting the ban on gay adoption. 39% want to keep it.
  
• 62% of respondents favor legal recognition for gay relationships: 27% for marriage, 35% for civil unions

Comments

[mia_in_chains]

I would have thought that Utah would be more conservative and anti-gay...

[taraxoxo]

Encouraging (esp. since Utah is deep red) even though there is a long way to go.

[a_tergo_lupi]

1. Some people generally refuse to vote, and it's often the more socially lax.
2. Sometimes it takes going to the extreme of wrong before people can see the right.

[tko_ak]

Just because someone supports employment, housing, or adoption rights doesn't mean they support gay marriage (or opposing an amendment banning gay marriage).

[fabfemmeboy]

I've seen a lot of polls, both before and after the election, and I think we may have a kind of gay Bradley effect - especially post-November. If this many Floridians really do want legal recognition for gay relationships, and there wasn't a GIANT SPIKE in Republican turnout there this election (quite the contrary, actually), then how did the amendment pass by more than double the percentage who "oppose any legal recognition?"

I think it's starting to become unacceptable to tell a pollster you want to prohibit legal recognition, but it's still fine to vote that way.

[tko_ak]

I think there probably is a gay Bradley effect, somewhat, but as I mentioned to the above comment, support for laws against employment, housing, and adoption discrimination doesn't mean someone supports gay marriage (or oppose an amendment banning it). Many people support civil unions and oppose gay marriage, and are willing to vote for an amendment.

Think of the PR those supporting these anti-gay amendments push. All of the fear mongering. They convince people that gay marriage will lead to the downfall of society. You know all of that, but my point is that just because someone supports some protections doesn't mean they're going to automatically oppose an anti-gay amendment. They don't always realize these amendments can preclude any legal protections, depending on how they're worded.

[entropius]

This poll's statistics are supposed to reflect the populace at large, though, not just those who voted...

I imagine in Utah at least turnout was much higher among Mormons than among the general public.

[tko_ak]

Utah didn't vote on any gay issue this previous election. But because Mormons backed Prop 8, it's interesting to see how Utah, at large, has some support for gay protections. And 66% of poll respondents in Utah were Mormon.