PBS once more went to bat for the “LGBTQ-Plus” warriors on the PBS Information Weekend Sunday, lamenting a slight dip in America’s gushing over the alphabet of us in “U.S. assist for LGBTQ+ rights is declining after many years of assist. Right here’s why.”
Within the present introduction, anchor John Yang fretted over “declining assist for LGBTQ-plus rights, reversing years of accelerating assist,” then minimize to pollster Melissa Deckmant accountable (who else?) Republicans: “And I feel what`s occurring is that you just see many Republican leaders and purple states actually making an attempt to amp up the amount, so to talk, on LGBTQ rights, and actually making an attempt to claw again a few of these rights throughout the nation.”
Already the scene had been set — you understand which facet to take and who to boo and hiss at, courtesy of your tax {dollars}.
Yang had the brand new alphabet down pat on this story, which overhyped a downward wiggle in polling knowledge (primarily based on new analysis from a left-wing polling agency, the Public Faith Analysis Institute, or PRRI, of which Deckman was the CEO).
Reporter William Brangham boasted in regards to the query they used to measure “gender id”: “What intercourse had been you assigned at delivery in your unique delivery certificates?”
Including: “The survey confirmed for the primary time assist fell for key insurance policies concerning LGBTQ rights, backing for identical intercourse marriage dropped two share factors, assist for non-discrimination protections dropped 4 factors and opposition to individuals refusing providers primarily based on spiritual grounds dropped 5 factors.”
Brangham talked to Deckman in regards to the outcomes, “the primary time you`ve seen it a downward tick in these numbers. What how do you clarify that?”
Acceptance of LGBTQ was not sufficient — unanimous approval was required by the gender-obsessed left and Republicans had been the issue:
DECKMAN: We noticed a lot deeper declines, for instance, amongst Republicans by way of their assist for these points, whereas Democrats tended to remain comparatively secure. And I feel what’s occurring is that you just see many Republican leaders in purple states, actually making an attempt to amp up the amount, so to talk, on LGBTQ rights, and actually making an attempt to claw again a few of these rights throughout the nation. And I feel that`s had a spillover impact nationally by way of the attitudes of Republicans, particularly on points with respect to LGBTQ rights.
Brangham’s instructed rationalization for the decline – of persecuted LGBTQ individuals merely starting to “assert their rights” — was a reasonably benign description of the media-supported revolution that’s taken place the final a number of years, together with “Bake the cake, bigot!” extremists on the gay-marriage entrance, and efficiently pressuring social media retailers and real-life establishments to deplatform customers and fireplace staff for the crime of “misgendering” organic males. (And threatening Harry Potter writer J.Ok. Rowling with arrest below new “hate crimes” regulation in Scotland.)
“I imply, is it maybe additionally doable that as individuals begin to determine extra publicly and assert their rights and take a extra distinguished place in society, that we may very well be seeing the traces of a backlash right here?,” Branham puzzled.
Deckman blamed Christians: “As you may think, People who generally tend to assist Christian nationalism are far much less more likely to assist the rights of LGBTQ People, partially due to the theological opposition to the thought of actually homosexuality and being queer to start with…”
And because it was a presidential election 12 months, a name to activism was proclaimed:
BRANHAM: For people who find themselves LGBTQ or work to assist solidify their rights, what does this survey knowledge inform you about what work lies forward for them?
DECKMAN: ….There’s now a conservative majority on the Supreme Court docket. And there is indication that the rights of same-sex marriage are going to be on the road you are going to have authorized challenges from conservative teams are going to be preventing to rollback these rights. And I feel that that is only a good reminder that these rights should not be taken with no consideration that it is going to take political organizing, and that elections have penalties.
And so the phrase went out over the tax-funded airwaves: Vote Biden!
This section was delivered to you partially by BNSF Railway.
A transcript is out there, click on “Develop.”
PBS Information Weekend
3/17/24
7:12:50 p.m. (ET)
JOHN YANG: For the previous couple of many years, the story of LGBTQ plus rights in America has been certainly one of rising public assist. However now a brand new survey finds that for the primary time in years, there`s a slight decline in that assist. William Brangham takes a more in-depth look.
WILLIAM BRANGHAM: All through 2023, the Public Faith Analysis Institute, or PRRI, interviewed over 22,000 adults for what it calls its American Values Atlas. Final week, the Group launched its findings on views about LGBTQ rights within the US. The survey confirmed for the primary time assist fell for key insurance policies concerning LGBTQ rights, backing for identical intercourse marriage dropped two share factors, assist for non-discrimination protections dropped 4 factors and opposition to individuals refusing providers primarily based on spiritual grounds dropped 5 factors.
To assist us perceive this knowledge, we’re joined by CEO of PRRI Melissa Deckman. You`ve been doing this survey for years. And this being the primary time you`ve seen it a downward tick in these numbers. What how do you clarify that?
MELISSA DECKMAN, CEO, Public Faith Analysis Institute: Yeah, we had been considerably shocked to see after a number of years of accelerating assist amongst People for LGBTQ rights, that we noticed a decline. However I feel in the event you look below the hood, so to talk, and have a look at the information extra carefully, it`s actually largely pushed by occasion polarization.
And so we noticed a lot deeper declines, for instance, amongst Republicans by way of their assist for these points, whereas Democrats tended to remain comparatively secure. And I feel what`s occurring is that you just see many Republican leaders in purple states, actually making an attempt to amp up the amount, so to talk on LGBTQ rights, and actually making an attempt to claw again a few of these rights throughout the nation.
And I feel that`s had a spillover impact nationally by way of the attitudes of Republicans, particularly on points with respect to LGBT rights.
WILLIAM BRANGHAM: In your survey, you`re speaking to individuals who each affiliate with a specific faith and likewise non-religious individuals as nicely, appropriate?
MELISSA DECKMAN: That`s proper. So our surveys are carried out amongst People nationally. One wonderful thing about the ABA is we even have sufficient knowledge to have a look at opinions in all 50 states. However basically, we get a snapshot of all People, together with individuals of religion and people who find themselves unaffiliated.
I feel it`s additionally necessary to keep in mind that regardless of these declines that we`ve seen, the overwhelming majority of individuals of religion proceed to assist the rights of LGBTQ People, particularly with respect to identical intercourse marriage and non-discrimination legal guidelines.
WILLIAM BRANGHAM: So for somebody who would possibly have a look at this and assume, Oh, what a 2 % decline or a 5 % decline isn’t that substantial. What Why does this actually stand out to you?
MELISSA DECKMAN: I feel it stands out. As a result of with respect to LGBT rights, we`re usually there was a rising improve in assist amongst People. And a part of that could be a reflection of the truth that extra People, particularly youthful People, are figuring out as LGBTQ.
So youthful People, extra People have pals who’re LGBTQ, they themselves are LGBTQ, they’ve colleagues. So there was this assumption that as we grow to be extra, I feel, accepting of LGBT People in our every day lives, that it could simply naturally lend itself to individuals being extra supportive of defending the rights of LGBTQ People.
However I feel this knowledge exhibits you that that`s not essentially an assumption that’s true. And so it`s one thing necessary to observe and preserve conscious of.
WILLIAM BRANGHAM: I imply, is it maybe additionally doable that as individuals begin to determine extra publicly and assert their rights and take a extra distinguished place in society, that we may very well be seeing the traces of a backlash 12 months?
MELISSA DECKMAN: I feel that`s precisely what you`re seeing. One of many issues that we analyze within the report is we have a look at the connection between Christian nationalist views and assist for LGBTQ rights. As you may think, People who generally tend to assist Christian nationalism are far much less more likely to assist the rights of LGBTQ People, partially due to the theological opposition to the thought of actually homosexuality and being queer to start with.
And so I feel that there`s that necessary relationship there that now we have to essentially remember.
WILLIAM BRANGHAM: You`re speaking about are there different beneath the highest strains right here different knowledge factors that actually that had been of curiosity to you?
MELISSA DECKMAN: We had been actually shocked in our findings that youthful People have trended downward with respect to assist for LGBTQ rights. In case you have a look at our knowledge, we discover that roughly one in 5 People aged 18 to 29 determine as LGBTQ. However but what`s occurred over the previous couple of years is that there`s been a slight decline amongst youthful People.
I feel the belief was that as a result of youthful People usually tend to determine as queer that we`d at all times have youthful People being extra supportive. Once more, although, it’s important to look below the hood. It`s actually occasion polarization that’s driving down assist amongst youthful People for identical intercourse marriage, for instance.
So one quantity actually stands out to us. In case you have a look at younger People attitudes about identical intercourse marriage, and 2020 amongst Republicans, two thirds supported identical intercourse marriage rights. However in final 12 months`s knowledge amongst younger Republicans aged 18 to 29, it`s lower than half, that`s a extremely large cratering of assist.
I feel there was typically an assumption amongst many political analysts that youthful Republicans would reasonable the occasion with respect to issues like LGBTQ rights, and even abortion rights or local weather change, et cetera. However what we`re discovering on this knowledge is that youthful Republicans are very conservative socially.
WILLIAM BRANGHAM: So fascinating. For people who find themselves LGBTQ or work to assist solidify their rights, what does this survey knowledge inform you about what work lies forward for them?
MELISSA DECKMAN: Nicely, I feel there`s the survey knowledge, it actually factors, as we prefer to say, the canary within the coal mine concept you can assume that such rights are going to be held in perpetuity or will improve. And you can too assume simply because the overwhelming majority of People assist these rights, that these rights are going to be legally protected, particularly in wake of the Dobbs choice.