Posted on 05/31/2018 2:38:55 PM PDT by Ennis85
Half of Americans in Gallup's 2018 Values and Beliefs poll say that being gay or lesbian is a trait from birth, easily eclipsing the 30% who believe it is a product of upbringing and environment. This is consistent with findings over the past few years. Another 10% say both explanations play a role, while 4% attribute being gay to something else and 6% are unsure.
When Gallup first asked this "nature vs. nurture" question in 1977, a majority of U.S. adults (56%) said being gay or lesbian was due to people's upbringing and environment, and only 13% saw it as a birth trait. Attitudes didn't shift markedly until after 1989. Between 1989 and Gallup's next update in 1996, the percentage believing sexual orientation is determined at birth jumped from 19% to 31%, and reached 40% by 2001. Opinion remained steady for the next 12 years, as Americans were roughly split between the two positions. Since 2012, the percentage assigning sexual orientation to nature rather than nurture has inched up another 10 percentage points.
This year's Values and Beliefs poll, conducted May 1-10, also shows 67% of Americans in favor of same-sex marriages being legal -- a new high for that viewpoint. Separately, Gallup recently reported that the percentage of Americans identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender has increased a full point since 2012 and is now 4.5%.
The perception that a person is born gay rather than it being the result of upbringing or other factors has increased among all demographic and political groups. But, according to a comparison of aggregated data from 2001 to 2003 vs. 2015 to 2018, the change in beliefs has been most pronounced among politically left-leaning groups, including young adults (aged 18 to 34), college graduates, Democrats, liberals and those who seldom or never
(Excerpt) Read more at news.gallup.com ...
Since when has the public ever gotten an award for ability to think clearly?
They may be onto something. Maybe we should submit the mysteries of particle physics and cosmology to polling as well. The answers are out there.
“Half of Americans in Gallup’s 2018 Values and Beliefs poll ...”
Well, I guess that settles it. The masses are never wrong about anything...
Yeah, and 50% of the population is, by definition, below average intelligence. So, I could see where they might think it’s nature, instead of environment.
When “nature” means molestation in childhood.
I say (as if anyone cares) that the demarcation isn’t sharp.
For some people, nature takes over. But, there may be some lisping betas for whom some sort of sexual confusion was biologically almost certain.
Yes, it’s called the sin nature.
Yeah, I have to admit that a lot of the public isn’t very bright.
And they say propaganda doesn’t work on Americans.
The earth is flat.
Know a guy pushing that. Not sure if he’s really gone over the edge or just wants to see if you’ll follow him down the rabbit-hole.
.... Any chance some could be "Nature" ..... some could be "Nurture" ..... Some could be "Nature and Nurture" or do they all have to fit neatly into one single package?
If anyone says that, he’s a fool.
> Maybe we should submit the mysteries of particle physics and cosmology to polling as well.
if it’s government funded, that’s basically what is happening in the here and now
Yep. Let’s do a poll on whether the Earth rotates around the Sun. What we need on this issue (and many other issues for that matter) is science that is not politicized. That used to be normal but now its hard to get.
A read that before.
More important than nature or nurture is free will. I have been attracted to quite a few women in my life, including after my marriage. Nature/nurture may say “go for it”, but free will says “I took a vow”. Free will always wins.
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