Meet the LGBT Americans who oppose gay marriage

Washington Post ^ | 01/27/2015 | By Aaron Blake

[SeekAndFind]

If you thought everyone in the LGBT community wanted gay marriage, you would be wrong. It's much more nuanced than that.

A new chart from Pew, based on 2013 data, shows that 7 percent of LGBT Americans said they oppose same-sex marriage. And another 18 percent said they favor it, but that they didn't feel strongly.

Perhaps most striking, 39 percent of the LGBT community said the marriage fight was taking focus off other issues of import to them.

Opposition to gay marriage in the LGBT community, such as it exists, is driven by three groups: LGBT blacks, LGBT Republicans, and bisexual Americans.

While 12 percent of the black LGBT community opposed gay marriage, nearly one in five (19 percent) Republicans did, too. Only 45 percent of LGBT Republicans said they strongly favored gay marriage -- the lowest of any group. Fifty-eight percent of LGBT blacks said they strongly favor it.

And the bisexual community was more likely to oppose (8 percent) or not feel strongly about gay marriage (22 percent), compared with gay men and women. Bisexuals comprise 40 percent of the LGBT community -- larger than both gay men and lesbians.

Just 2 percent of lesbians opposed gay marriage, while 4 percent of gay men did.

[alloysteel]

There is a writhing can of worms that has just been opened up, and nobody much knows how to close it up again.

This is quickly going from a “civil rights” issue to a not so civil war.

[Viennacon]

I wonder why bisexuals oppose. Perhaps because they want both, and the libs haven’t gotten around to polygamy... yet

[MarkRegal05]

I have a lesbian cousin with her special friend, and they say that many homosexual men and lesbians don’t trust bisexuals. There are divisions within the queer community that a lot of people are unaware of.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

It’s a well-known fact that lesbians and homosexual men hate each other.

[Paradox]

There are divisions within the queer community that a lot of people are unaware of.

Agreed, and once this whole "gay rights" thing is settled, I think you will see that community fragment.

[lightman]

Imagine being a minority within a minority.

Like a black conservative.

[Sivad]

I used to trade jokes and insults with a lesbian at work.
Amanda would regularly suggest spinster co-workers that I
should be dating. There was also a homo guy at work who had a pretty good sense of humor. Once when they were both
hanging around my department I quipped “Hey, since they are
changing the laws regarding gay marriage are the two of
you planning your wedding for the near future? I volunteer
to be best man but I don’t know which one of you to kiss.”

He chuckled, she laughed.

[cripplecreek]

The gay guy I grew up with says that most gays are “politically gay” and hate themselves for it. He says its why they’re constantly looking for a fight.

[terycarl]

All in favor of Child molestation, raise your right hand.....good grief, we are taking votes on sexual perversion now?????pathetic!

[Republican Wildcat]

There are at least a few who respect the concept of language and understand that two people of the same sex can’t be husband and wife and therefore, cannot be married, and that is simply reality - has nothing to do with “hate” or “bigotry.”

[hulagirl]

I still don’t know why there are so many letters there: Lesbians are Gay aren’t they? Why don’t Lesbians get to be Gay?? Oh, cuz they’re LEZBOS?? It should just be GBT. That’s all.

[Morpheus2009]

Or perhaps because someone who is bisexual can simply do it both ways, and doesn’t “need” to be “married” to the same gender when the bisexual can just marry the opposite gender.