Pgh Lesbian Correspondents

Political conversations discussing restrictions on transgender Americans or signal support for policies that limit access to gender-affirming health care may be causing a backlash among voters. These trends may stir up more opposition than support, according to a survey released Thursday by GLAAD, an LGBTQ media advocacy organization.

A majority of all voters say they would oppose candidates who frequently speak about restricting access to health care and youth sports participation for transgender youth. 81% say health care decisions for youth should be made by parents. All voter categories surveyed—LGBTQ, registered, Trump voters and swing voters who say they vote for either party —agree that politicians “should stop focusing on restricting women’s rights and banning medical care for transgender youth and instead focus on addressing inflation, job creation, and healthcare costs.” 

Even more interesting, LGBTQ voters in seven close contest states prefer Joe Biden for president by a 57 point margin.  Now note that the states are:  Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

According to UCLA’s Williams Institute, 4.1% of adult Pennsylvanians are LGBTQ, with 27% of them raising children. The average age is 36.8. Gallup polls in 2015 found that the Pittsburgh Metro region had a population of 3% out LGBT adults. One would think then that out LGBTQ folx in rural Pennsylvania regions are increasingly part of the conversation. I have said many times that the joke about Pittsburgh being Pittsburgh and Philadelphia with Alabama in the middle is out of touch with realities.

Pennsylvania residents can access voter information at this link.

Visit GLAAD for the full poll results.