A new poll from Gallup reports that 53 percent of Americans support new legislation to protect the civil rights of LGBT+ people. This new report follows the passage of the Equality Act through the House of Representatives, which would guarantee certain rights for LGBT+ citizens, though the bill is unlikely to pass the Republican-controlled Senate
The poll also found that the percentage of Americans who view LGBT+ relations as “acceptable” has increased steadily over the past decades. Currently, 55 percent of US adults say they view same-sex relations as acceptable, up from only 21 percent in 2001.
Many Americans are split politically on LGBT+ issues, with 74 percent of Democrats but only 27 percent of Republicans saying new hate crime legislation is needed to protect LGBT+ individuals. This report signals that while general acceptance of LGBT+ lifestyles may have increased nationally, Americans are still deeply politically divided on issues of LGBT+ rights and only a slim majority would actually support comprehensive hate crime legislation.