This year, more than 500 anti-LGBTQ bills have been introduced in state legislatures, over 40 of which aim to prohibit transgender students from participating in school sports.
The political divide is evident in the Gallup poll, as it reveals that Republicans staunchly oppose transgender athletes’ ability to choose their sports teams (93%), while independents also lean toward opposition (67%). Democrats exhibit a split opinion, with 48% disapproving and 47% supporting.
Surprisingly, despite a higher percentage of Americans claiming to personally know a transgender person (39% compared to 31% in 2021), support for transgender athletes playing on teams aligned with their gender identity has declined among both those who know and those who do not know transgender individuals.
Interestingly, young adults stand out as one subgroup where support for transgender athletes’ ability to choose their sports team increased from 35% in 2021 to 41% this year. This finding aligns with the notion that younger Americans exhibit more accepting views.
