David Mariner

HIV & Aging in San Francisco

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HIV & Aging

Older adults living with HIV in San Francisco face staggeringly high rates of mental health issues and levels of loneliness, as well as experience a dire need for regular social connections and health care coordination, according to a landmark new report by the ACRIA Center on HIV and Aging at GMHC released Sunday.

The report, issued as the first part of the multi-site Research on Older Adults with HIV (ROAH) 2.0 project, demonstrates in stark terms that living with HIV as an older adult presents a unique set of challenges—and requires a complex set of coordinated solutions. More than 50% of all people living with HIV in the United States are age 50 and older, and by 2020, 65-70% of people living with HIV will be age 50 and older.

“While there is increased awareness that there is a critical need for both more services for, and more research about, older adults living with and affected by HIV, our nation is not fully prepared for the medical and social implications of the growth of this population,” said Stephen Karpiak, PhD, Senior Director for Research for the ACRIA Centers at GMHC and a Co-Principal Investigator of ROAH 2.0. “We hope that the fresh insights from this timely study—which come just as adults age 50 and over are becoming the majority of all people with HIV in the United States—will inspire action to address the many challenges older adults with HIV face.”

In San Francisco, where 65% of people living with HIV are age 50 or over and the cost of living is among the highest in the country, the need to know more about older adults with HIV is particularly pressing.  Though most participants reported that their HIV is well managed and that their health is “excellent” or “good,” 41% reported that their health is “fair,” “poor,” or “very poor.” They also reported a high burden of physical symptoms and diseases other than HIV.

Furthermore, survey participants said that they contend with hunger, low income, and burdensome housing costs. Many also said they lack ways to get help with the activities of daily living or care should they fall sick or be injured.

The findings of the report underline the importance of providing older adults with HIV with medical services guided by the principles of geriatric medicine (an approach tailored to the complex needs of older adults with multiple chronic conditions, e.g., multimorbidity and associated risks of polypharmacy), enhanced access to mental health treatment and social support, trauma-informed care that acknowledges the repercussions of a history of trauma and avoids re-traumatization, and programs to help ease the financial burden of living in a high-cost city on a low fixed income.

Other notable findings in the San Francisco ROAH 2.0 study include:

  • Rates of depression and PTSD were extremely high: 38% of participants scored as having moderate to severe depression and 35% scored as having post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) using conservative criteria. About half (51%) of the participants reported childhood sexual abuse.
  • Participants show a high prevalence of multimorbidity (having two or more chronic illnesses). They report a heavy burden of illness and physical symptoms: On average, they reported experiencing seven symptoms or diseases besides HIV in the past year. Data shows that the older adult with HIV is evidencing higher rates of illnesses typically associated with aging (cancers, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, kidney disease, liver disease, diabetes). Multimorbidity is associated with elevated risk for polypharmacy.
  • Three-quarters of participants said their needs for emotional support were not fully met, and just over one-fifth said they needed “a lot more social support.”
  • The most frequent need among participants (and the need that was most often unmet) was having opportunities to socialize or meet others.
  • Nearly 60% of the participants reported that their housing costs account for about half, or more than half, of their income.
  • A brief assessment showed that 19% of participants were food insecure (meaning they have uncertain or insufficient access to food) and 25% experienced both food insecurity and hunger.

The full study, a successor to a pivotal ACRIA study of 1,000 older adults with HIV in New York City in 2006, will ultimately include almost 3,000 older adults living with HIV in sites across the United States, including New York City, Upstate New York, Chicago, and Alameda County (the East Bay), as well as San Francisco. Results will help social researchers and care providers across the country develop more services geared specifically toward people living with HIV who are over the age of 50.

“GMHC is committed to being a national leader in the study of older adults living with HIV as we all start to fully grasp the enormity of the challenges faced by the 50-and-over population living with HIV,” said GMHC CEO Kelsey Louie. “We hope that service organizations across the country will start to use these findings as they develop services and interventions designed to help this population. Since entering into a strategic partnership with ACRIA in 2017, GMHC has redoubled its efforts to work collaboratively with our older adult communities, launching the Terry Brenneis Hub for Long-Term Survivors earlier this year, relaunching GMHC’s pivotal Buddy Program, and using new data to better tailor our services. We look forward to shepherding more vital research that will help us provide the best possible holistic care for our older clients.

HIV and Aging in San Francisco: Research on Older Adults with HIV in San Francisco.

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MTPC Announces Interim Director, Gender X ID Bill Moves Forward

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Ev Evnen

The Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition Steering Committee announced that Ev Evnen (pronouns: they/them/theirs) has been hired as interim director. Ev brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in trans advocacy, and has been working in collaboration with MTPC for many years on a variety of initiatives.

Ev appeared at a press conference following a 39-1 Massachusetts Senate Vote on a bill which would allow Massachusetts residents to select a nonbinary gender marker on drivers licenses and birth certificates.

They stated at the press conference: “For me, right now, my driver’s license says female. As a nonbinary person, male did not feel more accurate, and because of that, I kept the marker given to me at birth. Although my whiteness and my masculinity offer me a lot of protection, I still worry that when I hand my license to a TSA agent, a clerk at the grocery store or a law enforcement official, that the difference between the person they see in front of them and the gender marked on my license will result in unjust treatment.”

Ev comes from MaeBright Group, an LGBTQ+ policy and training consulting firm. In that capacity, they have worked with numerous state agencies and service providers to increase their cultural competence when working with queer and trans populations. Ev holds a MPP and MBA from the Heller School. They identify as white, genderqueer, non-binary, transgender, queer, Jewish, and as a person with a mental illness.

“I’m incredibly excited and honored for the opportunity to take the helm of MTPC for a short while.” Ev said. “I hope to continue advocating for all of the trans community in the Bay State.”

“I am thrilled to have Ev involved as MTPC enters a new chapter of leadership and direction” said Mason Dunn, outgoing Executive Director. “Their familiarity with the work and the organization makes them a perfect match to carry us forward.”

Founded in 2001, the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition is dedicated to ending discrimination and oppression on the basis of gender identity and gender expression.

The Royal Canadian Mint Marks 50 Years of Progress for LGBTQ2 Canadians with Equality Coin

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candian equality coin

This week the Royal Canadian Mint launched a one-dollar circulation coin commemorating 50 years of progress in recognizing the rights of LGBTQ2 Canadians. It was a 1969 Act of Parliament that marked the initial milestone on the journey to equality for LGBTQ2 communities by decriminalizing homosexual acts between two consenting people of 21 years or older. The new coin, combining the words “EQUALITY-ÉGALITÉ” with the signature work of Vancouver artist Joe Average, starts circulating as of April 23rd. It was also launched through an official unveiling at the 519 Community Centre, in Toronto, Ontario.

“For the past 50 years and beyond, Canadians have fought for their right to love, marry, start a family and live openly as their most authentic selves,” said Bill Morneau, Minister of Finance and Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre. “The Equality coin recognizes their triumphs and encourages all of us to build a better, more inclusive Canada – because like the coin itself, the more equality we have in Canada, the richer we all are.”

“Today is an important day for the LGBTQ2 community, and for all Canadians, as this commemorative coin enters circulation,” said Randy Boissonnault, Special Advisor to the Prime Minister on LGBTQ2 Issues. “It is an opportunity to reflect on a landmark event in our country’s history, and a reminder of the progress still to be made as we work toward inclusion and equality for all LGBTQ2 Canadians.”

“The Mint plays a significant role in celebrating Canada’s culture, history and values through coins. Marking 50 years since a landmark decision that began a process of legal reforms to recognize the rights of LGBTQ2 Canadians is a powerful way to recognize Canada’s profound belief in equality and inclusion,” said Marie Lemay, President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint. “The Mint constantly strives to live these values, and our employees are proud to share the message of equality through this new commemorative circulation coin.”

Joe Average is a Vancouver-based artist whose early interest in drawing and photography led him to dedicate his life to his art when he was diagnosed as HIV-positive in 1984. The design he created for the reverse of this coin is a stylized celebration of equality viewed through an LGBTQ2 perspective. The image of two intertwined faces reflects gender fluidity and the spectrum of genders and is left open to interpretation: they may belong to two individuals or they may represent different aspects of one’s identity.

The reverse includes the words “EQUALITY” and “ÉGALITÉ” on two curved bands, as well as the double dates “1969” and “2019” to mark 50 years since the process of decriminalizing homosexual acts was initiated in Canada. The obverse features the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt, in use on Canadian coins since 2003.

Limited to a mintage of three million, the one-dollar “Equality” circulation coin is now entering general circulation and will be available through several public coin exchanges to be announced soon (limited to Canada only).

This coin can also be collected in a special wrap roll of 25 uncirculated coins, retailing for $54.95 and limited to a mintage of 15,000 rolls. Joe Average’s artwork is also celebrated on a full colour, 99.99% pure silver collector version of the “Equality” coin, which retails for $49.95 and is limited to a mintage of 15,000.

These collectibles can be ordered by contacting the Mint at 1-800-267-1871 in Canada, 1-800-268-6468 in the US, or online at www.mint.ca/equality. They can also be found at the Royal Canadian Mint’s boutiques, as well as through the Mint’s global network of dealers and distributors, including participating Canada Post outlets.

About the Royal Canadian Mint
The Royal Canadian Mint is the Crown corporation responsible for the minting and distribution of Canada’s circulation coins. An ISO 9001 certified corporation, the Mint is recognized as one of the largest and most versatile mints in the world, offering a wide range of specialized, high quality coinage products and related services on an international scale. For more information on the Mint, its products and services, visit www.mint.ca.

For images of the “Equality” circulation coin, click:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ozg81gpgxrqvvgx/AACVnYx__2Aq1vhXDcS5ZwKQa?dl=0

Two in Three Texans Support Laws Protecting LGBT People from Discrimination

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LGBTQ Texas

 A survey released by PRRI, a non-profit, non-partisan public opinion research organization, finds approximately two-thirds (66 percent) of Texans support nondiscrimination protections for LGBT people. Similar majorities support same-sex marriage (56 percent) and oppose religiously-based refusals to serve gay and lesbian people (54 percent).

The survey of nearly 3,000 Texans is derived from PRRI’s American Values Atlas, which surveys over 40,000 Americans each year to provide a 50-state portrait of American attitudes on critical issues facing the country.

Widespread support among Texans for LGBT nondiscrimination laws 
The approximately two-thirds (66 percent) of Texans who support laws protecting LGBT people from discrimination in the workplace, public accommodations, and housing is similar to the 69 percent of Americans who favor them. Support transcends geography, religion, and race across the Lone Star State.

“The broad support for laws to protect LGBT people from discrimination represents a rarity in our polarized politics today—an issue that actually brings people together,” notes PRRI CEO Robert P. Jones. “Support for LGBT nondiscrimination protections spans Texas’ cities and rural areas, and transcends party, race, and religion in the Lone Star State.”

Each of Texas’ five major metropolitan areas shows significant support for nondiscrimination laws: Austin (77 percent), Dallas/Fort Worth (70 percent), El Paso (72 percent), Houston (66 percent), and San Antonio (65 percent). The level of support for nondiscrimination laws is consistent in urban (69 percent) and suburban (69 percent) areas of the state. Support in rural areas is significantly lower but remains in majority territory (53 percent).

Majority support for LGBT nondiscrimination laws crosses racial, ethnic, and religious lines. Around two-thirds of white (66 percent), Hispanic (67 percent), mixed or other race (67 percent), and black (71 percent) Texans support such laws. Likewise, majorities of white (71 percent) and Hispanic (71 percent) Catholics, and black Protestants (71 percent) and even white evangelical Protestants (53 percent), favor nondiscrimination protections, as do 75 percent of religiously unaffiliated Texans.

Notably, support for LGBT nondiscrimination protections also bridges party lines. Majorities of Texas Democrats (80 percent), independents (70 percent), and Republicans (52 percent) favor laws that protect LGBT people from discrimination in jobs, housing, and public accommodations.

Three in four (75 percent) Texans ages 18-29 favor LGBT nondiscrimination protections, together with 55 percent of seniors ages 65 and older. This level of support roughly follows national levels: 76 percent of young Americans and 59 percent of seniors across the U.S. support these protections. 

Majorities of most Texas groups oppose religion-based refusals to serve gay and lesbian people 
A majority of Texans (54 percent) oppose allowing small business owners in their state to refuse products or services to gay or lesbian people even if they say providing them would violate their religious beliefs. They join a majority of Americans (57 percent) in opposing such policies. Notably, black (63 percent) and Hispanic (58 percent) Texans are more likely than white Texans (50 percent) to oppose religiously-based refusals to serve gay and lesbian people.

White evangelical Protestants are the only Texan religious group in which a majority (60 percent) favors allowing business owners to refuse service to gay and lesbian people on religious grounds. All other major religious subgroups in Texas oppose such refusals. Religiously unaffiliated (68 percent), black Protestants (63 percent), and Hispanic Catholics (58 percent) are the groups most likely to oppose such policies.

Texans are also divided on this issue along political lines. While 73 percent of Democrats and 57 percent of independents oppose religiously-based refusals to serve gay and lesbian people, 62 percent of Texas Republicans support this policy. One in three (33 percent) Texas Republicans oppose service refusals.

Majorities of Texans in each of the state’s major metropolitan areas oppose religiously-based refusals to serve gay and lesbian people: Austin (63 percent), Dallas/Fort Worth (54 percent), El Paso (55 percent), Houston (53 percent), and San Antonio (59 percent). The 56 percent of Texans in urban metropolitan areas who oppose these refusals are joined by 53 percent of suburban and 48 percent of rural Texans.

Widespread Lone Star Support for Same-Sex Marriage 
Support for same-sex marriage has continued growing since the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2015 ruling that established a constitutional right to marry for same-sex couples. More than six in 10 (62 percent) Americans now say gay and lesbian couples should be allowed to marry legally, along with 56 percent of Texans. The increased support for same-sex marriage in Texas over the last four years has been notable: In 2015, 46 percent of Texans supported same-sex marriage, while 45 percent were opposed.

METHODOLOGY

The American Values Atlas (AVA) is a project of PRRI. The survey was designed and conducted by PRRI and was made possible by generous grants from The Nathan Cummings Foundation, The Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund, The Gill Foundation, The E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation, and the United Universalist Veatch Program at Shelter Rock. Results for the nondiscrimination laws and religiously-based service refusal questions are based on a subset of 40,292 telephone interviews (including 2,780 interviews in Texas) conducted between March 14, 2018 and December 16, 2018. The margin of error for these questions is +/- 0.5 percentage points at the national level (+/- 1.9 percentage points at the Texas level) at the 95 percent level of confidence. Results for the same-sex marriage question are based on a subset of 4,028 telephone interviews (including 267 interviews in Texas) conducted between March 14, 2018 and March 25, 2018and between June 27, 2018 and July 8, 2018. The margin of error for the same-sex marriage question subsample is +/-1.5 percentage points at the national level (+/- 6.0 points at the Texas level) at the 95 percent level of confidence.

About PRRI: 
PRRI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to conducting independent research at the intersection of religion, culture, and public policy.

Grindr and Pop Star, LGBTQ activist, Pabllo Vittar Announce New Partnership

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Pabllo Vittar

Grindr and Brazilian drag queen, pop star and activist Pabllo Vittar have announced a partnership to develop and offer exclusive content to the Grindr user community.

The partnership will include exclusive Grindr and Pabllo Vittar video content and the release of new music to Grindr users before it’s available to the general public. Grindr and Vittar will also work together to identify a project to support the LGBTQ community as part of the campaign. The partnership comes as Grindr celebrates a decade of helping users in virtually every country in the world to connect, thrive, and express their authentic selves.

“Arguably the most famous drag queen in the world, Pabllo is an inspiration to millions of people around the world. She stands for authenticity and empowerment through her work and her personal convictions – virtues we celebrate here at Grindr every day,” said Alex Black, product marketing manager, Grindr. “Ours is a natural partnership as Grindr continues to be on the cutting edge of culture and evolve to provide our users with new and rewarding experiences.”

The first drag queen to be nominated for a Grammy, Vittar was named one of the faces of a recent Coca-Cola campaign, and has collaborated with a number of high-profile musical acts like Major Lazer, Charli XCX, Sofi Tukker, Anitta, and Diplo. This year she will headline six gay pride events in the U.S. 

“I’m super excited about this partnership with Grindr. It will help me connect to more people and spread my music and love in a totally different and spectacular way,” said Vittar. “Can’t wait to show everyone the amazing things Grindr and I have in store!”

The collaborative video content will be released in the lead up to Pride Month via the Grindr app and the company’s YouTube account, along with an exclusive in-app premiere of new material from Vittar’s forthcoming third, full-length album.

Morehouse College Will Admit Transgender Men Starting in 2020

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Morehouse College Will Admit Transgender Men Starting in 2020

Morehouse College, the nation’s only all-male historically black college, has announced that it will update its admissions policy to include transgender men. This comes on the heels of neighboring women’s institution and historically black college, Spelman College, adopting an admission policy inclusive of transgender women in 2017.

The policy, which is set to go into effect in 2020, marks a major shift in the school’s 152-year history, and comes at a time when colleges across the country are evaluating more inclusive policies for LGBTQ and gender non-conforming students.

“This is a great first step for Morehouse that should be celebrated, especially as trans rights are federally under attack,” said Georgia Equality Deputy Director and Morehouse Alumnus, Eric Paulk. “However, it’s important to be mindful of the work that has to happen between now and the implementation of the new policy to ensure an atmosphere of equity and safety for trans students and LGBTQ+ students on campus. This means ensuring that these voices lead and are centered in every step of the process.”

Other historically black colleges and universities including, Tuskegee University, Howard University, Florida A&M University, Southern University, North Carolina Central University and Morgan State University have adopted inclusive transgender policies. “Ultimately, if there’s not a focus on faculty and staff training, a shift in student culture that supports LGBTQ+ students, and culturally competent student services, the new Morehouse policy will be nothing more than empty symbolism. Georgia Equality is committed to being a resource for Morehouse and other Georgia institutions as they navigate this space.”

Texas Legislation Poses Threat to Local LGBTQ Community

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Equality Texas

Equality Texas, the largest statewide organization solely dedicated to securing full equality for LGBTQ Texans condemned today’s Senate passage of Lt. Governor Dan Patrick and Senator Charles Perry’s SB 17, the #1 threat to the LGBTQ community.

Lt. Governor Dan Patrick’s new attack on LGBTQ Texans, SB 17, is a sweeping bill that would empower and protect discriminatory behavior across hundreds of professional activities – including medical care, where providers or clinic owners could refuse treatment for LGBTQ people in need of care.

Equality Texas urges Texans to demonstrate their opposition to SB 17 and urge the Texas House of Representatives to reject this discriminatory legislation.

“Dan Patrick has doubled down on his attack on the LGBTQ community, moving out of bathrooms and into every single licensed profession in Texas,” said Samantha Smoot, Interim Executive Director of Equality Texas. 

The newly-prioritized SB 17 will create dangerous “religious exemptions” for virtually every licensed occupation in Texas – hundreds of professions, from barbers to tow truck operators to doctors. If an occupational license holder were to call on “sincerely held religious belief” in taking a discriminatory action, the licensing agency that oversees the occupation would have no recourse to remedy that discrimination. This includes health care providers, who could turn away sick and injured people seeking care (unless immediate live-saving measures were needed), based just patient’s identity, or that of their parents. Lt. Gov. Patrick has placed this bill on his “top 30” priority list, signaling his intention to pass it.

There are an additional 15 bills that would make a mockery of religious freedom, guaranteeing that discrimination will be permitted. The bills would allow businesses, licensed professionals and even government officials to use religion to exempt themselves from nondiscrimination laws and policies, including licensing and professional standards.

“Religious freedom is a fundamental American value protected in our U.S. Constitution.  But religious freedom was never intended to be a license to discriminate,” said Smoot. “SB 17 would create a religious litmus test, and open the doors to discrimination and to real harm to LGBTQ Texans.  Dan Patrick has launched a whole new war against LGBTQ people, and this ‘license to discriminate’ bill is our #1 threat this session.” 

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Equality Texas is the largest statewide organization working to secure full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer Texans through political action, education, community organizing, and collaboration. The Equality Texas Foundation works to secure full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer Texans through education, community organizing, and collaboration.

Conversion Therapy Documentary Available on Amazon

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The Sunday Sessions

A new documentary exploring Conversion Therapy by Baltimore Director Richard Yeagley is now available on Amazon, ITunes, Kanopy, and DVD.

THE SUNDAY SESSIONS is an intimate portrait of one man’s struggle to reconcile his religious conviction and sexual identity. The observational documentary chronicles the turbulent journey of Nathan as he attends conversion therapy in hope of changing his sexual orientation. Conversion therapy is the controversial, non-scientifically based process which aims to convert an individual’s sexual orientation from homosexual to heterosexual.

Yeagley states: “Seeing a man similar in age to me struggle with his sexual orientation, as well as his identity in general, was a struggle to witness. No individual in modern times should ever feel the need to hide or change their sexual identity. But unfortunately, and quite tragically, there are many communities in America and across the globe where intolerance is pervasive. In this film, I was exposed to such communities. “

Although it has been discredited by all major American medical, psychiatric, psychological and professional counseling organizations, some therapists still offer the service for reasons almost exclusively rooted in a conservative religious belief system. The filmmakers had unfettered access to these secretive and controversial therapy sessions and have crafted an emotional and psychological drama which
chronicles two years of Nathan’s journey.

Find out more at www.thesundaysessionsmovie.com.

Grandparents Today are More Accepting than You Might Think

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Grandparents

A new study from the AARP challenges some of the things you might think about today’s Grandparents. Families are depending on Grandparents more these days, and thankfully these Grandparents are more likely to be accepting of LGBTQ grandchildren.

Since 2001, the number of grandparents has grown by 24 percent (56 million to 70 million). The age of a first-time grandparent is 50, a two year increase since the survey was last conducted in 2011.

Grandparents are contributing now more than ever to the well being of their grandchildren. Grandparents take care of their grandchildren by babysitting, with one in ten living in the same household with their grandchildren, and 5 percent of those being the primary caregiver. Grandparents are also contributing financially, spending an average of $2,562 annually on their grandchildren, totaling $179 billion per year.

It is good to know that while families depend more and more on Grandparents for support, Grandparents are also becoming increasingly supportive of their LGBTQ grandchildren. Eighty-Seven percent of the grandparents surveyed report that they would be accepting of an LGBTQ grandchild.

FInd out more about the grandparent study here.

Equality Act: Survey of 50 States Finds Broad Support for LGBT Rights Across the United States

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Equality Act

A landmark national survey of over 40,000 Americans, including results for all 50 states, released by the Public Religion Research Institute finds approximately seven in 10 (69 percent) Americans support nondiscrimination protections for LGBT people today. The survey also finds nearly six in 10 (57 percent) Americans oppose allowing small businesses to refuse services to gay and lesbian people based on religious objections. More than six in 10 (62 percent) Americans also support same-sex marriage. The only major groups in which a majority oppose same-sex marriage are white evangelical Protestants and Republicans.

Majorities in All States Support Nondiscrimination Protections for LGBT People
Approximately seven in 10 (69 percent) Americans—including majorities in all 50 states—favor laws protecting LGBT people from discrimination in jobs, public accommodations, and housing, virtually unchanged from 2017 levels (70 percent). Though support is highest in Northeastern (72 percent) and Western (72 percent) states, majorities in the Midwest (68 percent) and South (65 percent) are also supportive. Even in states with the lowest levels of support, such as South Carolina (58 percent) and Arkansas (56 percent), solid majorities support these policies.

“The broad support for laws to protect LGBT people from discrimination represents a rarity in our polarized politics today—an issue that actually brings Americans together across partisan, religious, and geographic lines,” notes PRRI CEO Robert P. Jones.

The nationwide strength of support for nondiscrimination protections for LGBT people transcends age and religion. Three in four Americans ages 18-29 (76 percent) favor these protections, as do 59 percent of Americans ages 65 and over.

Solid majorities of all major religious groups in the U.S. support laws protecting LGBT people from discrimination in housing, public accommodations, and the workplace. Among major religious groups, the strongest supporters of LGBT nondiscrimination protections are Unitarian Universalists (90 percent), Jews (80 percent), Hindus (79 percent), Buddhists (75 percent), and religiously unaffiliated Americans (78 percent). Even majorities of faith traditions that have been historically more opposed to LGBT rights support these protections. Fully seven in 10 Mormons (70 percent), along with 65 percent of black Protestants, 60 percent of Muslims, 54 percent of white evangelical Protestants, and 53 percent of Jehovah’s Witnesses favor LGBT nondiscrimination laws.

Majorities of Democrats (79 percent), independents (70 percent), and Republicans (56 percent) also favor such protections, though Republican support has slipped five percentage points over the last few years, down from 61 percent support in 2015.

All Racial Groups, Most Religious Groups Oppose Allowing Businesses to Refuse Services to LGBT Customers 
A majority of Americans (57 percent) oppose allowing a small business owner in their state to refuse products or services to gay or lesbian people based on their religious beliefs. Opposition to religiously-based refusals to serve gay and lesbian people is slightly lower than support in 2017 (60 percent) and 2016 (61 percent) but consistent with support levels in 2015 (59 percent).

Majorities of residents in 40 states believe small business owners in their state should not be allowed to refuse service to gay and lesbian people. While there are no states in which a majority support religiously-based refusals to serve gay or lesbian people, opposition falls short of a majority in 10 states: Arkansas (50 percent), Kansas (50 percent), Alabama (49 percent), Nevada (49 percent), Utah (49 percent), Louisiana (48 percent), Oklahoma (48 percent), Idaho (47 percent), Tennessee (47 percent). Alaska is the only state with plurality support for religiously-based service refusals (46 percent favor, 42 percent oppose).

Younger Americans ages 18-29 (63 percent) are noticeably more likely than seniors over the age of 65 (52 percent) to oppose religiously-based refusals to serve gay or lesbian people.

Americans of all racial and ethnic groups oppose religiously-based service refusals. Black (66 percent) and Hispanic (60 percent) Americans are most likely to oppose allowing businesses to refuse service to gay or lesbian people because of religious objections. White (54 percent) and Native Americans (52 percent) are least likely to oppose such service refusals, though a majority remain against them. 

Majorities of most major religious groups oppose religiously-based refusals to serve gay or lesbian people. The greatest opposition comes from Unitarian Universalists (83 percent), Jews (68 percent), religiously unaffiliated Americans (66 percent), Buddhists (66 percent) and Muslims (60 percent). White evangelical Protestants (55 percent) and Mormons (54 percent) are the only religious groups where a majority support allowing small business owners to refuse service to gay and lesbian customers if doing so violates their religious beliefs. Jehovah’s Witnesses have no majority opinion: a plurality (43 percent) are opposed, while almost as many are in favor (39 percent); 18 percent offer no opinion.

Opposition to religiously-based service refusals varies dramatically by political affiliation. Three-quarters of Democrats (75 percent) and a majority of independents (56 percent) oppose allowing businesses to refuse service to gay or lesbian people based on religious objections. Only 36 percent of Republicans oppose religiously-based refusals to serve gay or lesbian people, compared to nearly six in 10 (59 percent) who support such a policy. Conservative Republicans exhibit significantly more support for religiously-based service refusals (65 percent), compared to moderate (44 percent) and liberal (35 percent) Republicans. 

Support for Same-Sex Marriage Remains Widespread
Support for same-sex marriage has continued growing since the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2015 rule that established a constitutional right to marry for same-sex couples. More than six in 10 (62 percent) Americans now say gay and lesbian couples should be allowed to marry legally, while only about half as many (30 percent) are opposed. The increased support for same-sex marriage over the last decade has been dramatic: In 2007, over one in three (36 percent) Americans supported same-sex marriage, while 55 percent were opposed.

Majority support for same-sex marriage extends across all regions of the nation. Residents of Northeastern (70 percent) and Western (67 percent) states are the strongest supporters of same-sex marriage. Robust majorities in the Midwest (60 percent) and South (56 percent) support it as well.

Nearly eight in 10 (79 percent) young Americans (ages 18-29) support gay marriage, with only 16 percent opposed. Even among seniors (ages 65 and older), nearly half (49 percent) favor same-sex marriage today, compared to 43 percent who are opposed.

Majorities of all racial and ethnic groups support same-sex marriage. The strongest levels of support come from Asian-Pacific Islander Americans (75 percent), Americans who identify with another race or as mixed race (68 percent), and Hispanic Americans (65 percent). But majorities of white (62 percent), black (56 percent), and Native Americans (55 percent) also support same-sex marriage.

Most major religious groups in the U.S. now support same-sex marriage, including an overwhelming majority of religiously unaffiliated Americans (82 percent). White evangelical Protestants are the only major religious group in which a majority oppose same-sex marriage (31 percent favor, 60 percent oppose).

Strong majorities of Democrats (77 percent) and independents (65 percent) favor same-sex marriage. While only four in 10 (41 percent) of Republicans currently favor same-sex marriage, support among Republicans has risen by 10 percentage points since 2011, when only 31 percent favored this policy. 

Methodology:
The American Values Atlas (AVA) is a project of PRRI. The survey was designed and conducted by PRRI and was made possible by generous grants from The Nathan Cummings Foundation, The Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund, The Gill Foundation, The E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation, and the United Universalist Veatch Program at Shelter Rock. Results for the nondiscrimination laws and religiously-based service refusal questions are based on a subset of 40,292 telephone interviews (including 24,149 cell phone interviews) conducted between March 14, 2018 and December 16, 2018. The margin of error for these questions is +/- 0.5 percentage points at the 95 percent level of confidence. Results for the same-sex marriage question are based on a subset of 4,028 telephone interviews (including 2,413 cell phone interviews) conducted between March 14, 2018 and March 25, 2018 and between June 27, 2018 and July 8, 2018. The margin of error for the same-sex marriage question subsample is +/-1.5 percentage points at the 95 percent level of confidence.