A new survey from Gallup shows most Americans say gay and lesbian domestic partners or spouses should have inheritance rights and health insurance and other benefits. And a majority say gays and lesbians should be able to legally adopt children.
Gallup reports that these findings are from a Nov. 26-29, 2012, USA Today/Gallup poll. Results from the same poll show that a majority of Americans favor the legalization of same-sex marriage, and 63 percent believe that discrimination against gays and lesbians is a serious problem in the United States.
Americans are slightly more supportive of inheritance rights, employee benefits, and adoption rights for gays and lesbians now than they were in May 2009, when Gallup last surveyed on the topic.
Less than half of Americans support openly gay adults serving as Boy Scout leaders
A separate question finds a slight majority of Americans supporting the official Boy Scouts of America policy of excluding openly gay individuals from being Boy Scout leaders. The policy has become controversial in recent years, causing some corporate sponsors to withdraw their support for the Scouts, according to recent news reports.
Republicans less supportive than Democrats of gay, lesbian rights
Gallup also reports that Republicans are less in favor of inheritance rights, health insurance and other benefits, and adoption rights for gays and lesbians than are either independents or Democrats. They are also less supportive of allowing openly gay Boy Scout leaders to serve. The partisan divide between Republicans and Democrats is at least 20 percentage points on all four issues.
Still, a majority of all partisan groups support inheritance rights and employee benefits for gay and lesbian spouses and partners. But slightly less than half of Republicans support adoption rights. And support is below the majority level among both Republicans and independents for allowing openly gay adults to serve as Boy Scout leaders.
Gallop asked the wrong question about the Boy Scouts of America. Yes their policy excludes openly gay individuals from being Boy Scout leaders. Fair question for a poll.
But the BSA policy also excludes openly gay youth from being scouts. A more interesting question would have been: Do you think the BSA should or should not allow gay children from being scouts?