Personnel Today’s Post

New study from NORC and The LA Times finds large gains in acceptance for gay and lesbian people in the United States I’m excited to be releasing a new study my team at NORC conducted for the Los Angeles Times, which built on a survey conducted 40 years ago and explored attitudes around acceptance of LGBTQ+ people in the United States. Our research found that acceptance has grown significantly in the past four decades. In 1985, The Times conducted a groundbreaking survey on Americans’ perceptions of gay and lesbian people. What’s most surprising when comparing the findings from that survey to the survey conducted this year is how dramatically opinion has shifted in a variety of areas, with attitudes often flipping completely on their head. For instance, while 67% of adults believed that sexual relations between adults of the same sex was always wrong in 1985, today 64% do not see it as an issue at all.  Similarly, in 1985, 64% said that they would be very upset if their child told them they were gay or lesbian, but that share has fallen to 14% today.  And in politics, 47% would have been less likely to vote a candidate they learned was gay or lesbian in 1985. But today, far fewer (19%) say the same.  The impacts of those who do not accept gay and lesbian people should not be minimized. And the data demonstrate that certain groups – particularly Protestants, Catholics, and Republicans – continue to hold lower levels of acceptance.  And acceptance of transgender and nonbinary people is not as widespread. The survey finds majority approval for transgender and nonbinary people living their lives as they wish, but compared to gay and lesbian people, they face greater resistance in politics and even at home. For example, while 19% of adults would be less likely to vote for a gay or lesbian candidate, 33% say so about a transgender or nonbinary candidate. And more people would be very upset if their child were transgender or nonbinary compared to gay or lesbian (26% vs. 14%). These are just a fraction of the topics the survey explored. A full set of topline findings and a report on the survey can be found at https://lnkd.in/gihVfTds.

September is recognized as Bisexuality Visibility Month, celebrating bisexual identity, honoring bisexual achievements, and bringing light to bisexual issues. We listed 3 actions everyone can take all year round to continue raising awareness: 💗Acknowledge Bisexuality: recognize and validate bisexuality as a valid and independent identity. 💜Educate yourself: bisexual people, and other gender & sexual minorities in Canada, are more likely to face barriers to employment. The report “Building the evidence base about economic, health, and social inequities faced by LGBTQ2S-Plus individuals in Canada” is a great resource for exploring findings and recommendations on this topic. 💙 Be an Ally: support bi+ people by amplifying their voices, advocating for bi-inclusion in LGBTQ+ spaces, and ensuring bisexuality is represented in conversations about equality. Inspire others by sharing in the comments what call to action you are taking for this Bisexuality Visibility Month. Explore the report's recommendations and findings here: https://lnkd.in/e6mExYBq #BiVisibility #DiversityAndInclusion #Pride

Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual youth are two times more likely than Heterosexual youth to smoke. Why? According to data from the CDC, 25.8% of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual youth have tried cigarette smoking, compared to 15.4% of Heterosexual Youth. 6.8% of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual youth currently smoke cigarettes, compared to 2.7% of heterosexual youth Reason #1: Discrimination and Rejection The high rates of social rejection, by peers and family members, might lead queer youth to turn to drugs. One survey found that drug use amongst LGBTQ youth was linked to the reactions of others when they came out. Reason #2: Advertising by Tobacco Companies Tobacco companies, such as RJ Reynolds have pushed strategies designed to market tobacco to LGBTQ community. Phillip Morris, Camel Snus, and VaporFi have all bought advertisements or sponsored LGBTQ Pride events. While the advertisements weren’t specifically targeted to queer youth, LGBTQ youth are likely to see these ads and be influenced by the product. Want to learn more about LGBTQ health disparities, follow Qu Health on Linkedin and our Substack: https://lnkd.in/e4tHPqh6

🏳️⚧️ Transgender Awareness Week is honored from Nov 13-Nov 19 🏳️⚧️ And we’re sharing tips for how you can be a better #TransAlly from GLAAD. 🩷 🩵 Tip 1️⃣ : Understand the difference between “coming out” as lesbian, gay, or bisexual and the difference between “coming out” as transgender. From GLADD: 💬 “Coming out” to other people as lesbian, gay, or bisexual is typically seen as revealing a truth that allows other people to know your authentic self. There is great importance and value of being “out” in order to be happy and whole. When a transgender person has transitioned and is living their life as their authentic self, the world now sees them as who they truly are. It can feel disempowering for a transgender person to disclose to other people that they are transgender. Some people may choose to publicly discuss their gender history in an effort to raise awareness and make cultural change, but please don’t assume that it’s necessary for a transgender person to disclose that they are transgender in order to feel happy and whole. Get more tips for being a better ally from GLAAD: https://lnkd.in/g3Zn_psb #TransgenderAwarenessWeek #TransAwarenessWeek

A new report has revealed that 27.2% of LGBTQ women candidates are being discouraged from running for office in the US due to their gender or gender identity. The research by the LGBTQ+ Victory Institute and Loyola Marymount University’s LGBTQ+ Politics Research Initiative highlights that by comparison, 7.1% of gay and bisexual men experience similar discouragement. It also reveals that LGBTQ+ women are more likely to face personal attacks, especially regarding their appearance, with 40.8% reporting such experiences compared to 27.8% of their male counterparts. The research, which surveyed respondents who ran for office between 2018 and 2022, is the largest survey of LGBTQ+ candidates in US history. Other key findings include: ❌ 5.4% of LGBTQ+ women said they experienced gender-based violence during their campaign, compared to 1.9% of gay and bisexual men. Among trans women the figure rose to 7.1% ❌ 28.6% of LGBTQ+ women said difficulty being taken seriously during the campaign was a top challenge ❌16% of LGBTQ+ women faced media challenging their qualifications compared to 10.5% of gay and bisexual men #WomenInPolitics #LGBTQWomen #LGBTQRights

Today on Transgender Day of Remembrance, we honor those lost to transphobic hate and violence and support the trans and non-binary community in the fight to achieve recognition, acceptance, and equality. Transgender people are those whose gender identity differs from that typically associated with the sex they were assigned at birth and is not related to sexual orientation. Transgender Day of Remembrance originated in 1999 as a vigil to honor the memory of Rita Hester, a transgender woman murdered in 1998. According to Trans Murder Monitoring, 320 transgender and gender-diverse people were killed worldwide in 2023, with the majority (50%) being Black trans women. The true toll of anti-trans hate is likely far higher, since violence inflicted on transgender people is often underreported. In addition to the violence trans people often experience, they also face discrimination in the workplace and in accessing public accommodations and healthcare. In many places – including the United States – transgender people are not legally protected from discrimination. The Human Rights Campaign Foundation, the educational arm of the nation’s largest LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, and its Public Education and Research program published “The Epidemic of Violence Against the Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Community in the United States,” a report released to memorialize the lives of the transgender and gender nonconforming people killed this year and shed light on the ongoing epidemic of violence against transgender and gender-expansive people. Read this report and learn the stories of individuals who lost their lives to senseless violence against the transgender community here: https://ow.ly/lXgn50Ubf42 #TransgenderDayofRemembrance #TDOR #Transawarenessweek

Each year between November 13 and 19, #TransgenderAwarenessWeek takes place to help increase understanding about transgender people and the issues members of the community face. Now more than ever, Trans people need allies. Here are some tips. #Diversity #Inclusion #Allyship #LGBTIQ https://cogniz.at/4fsZlBO

Everyday, and especially within the month of June, A Safe Place would like to shine a supportive light for those within the LGBTQ+ community who have been affected by domestic violence and or sexual assault. LGBTQ+ survivors have often faced additional hurdles that prevent them from seeking help and support. 37.3% of bisexual men, 26% of gay men, 61.1% of bisexual women, and 43.8% of lesbian women have reported experiencing physical violence, rape, and or stalking from a partner within their lifetime (National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS) statistics). In comparison, 29% of heterosexual men and 35% of heterosexual women reported the same. 54% of transgender respondents who participated in the U.S. Transgender Survey stated they have experienced some form of violence from a partner. 24% stated they have experienced severe violence. A Safe Place would like to remind our community that we are an all inclusive organization that is here for survivors no matter age, race, gender, sexual orientation, or financial status. No one is ever alone. #asafeplacenantucket #nantucket #survivorservices #support #domesticviolenceawareness #sexualassaultawareness #youareneveralone

Each year between November 13 and 19, #TransgenderAwarenessWeek takes place to help increase understanding about transgender people and the issues members of the community face. Now more than ever, Trans people need allies. Here are some tips. #Diversity #Inclusion #Allyship #LGBTIQ https://cogniz.at/3ADEmgx

Unlocking the ABCs of LGBTQ+: Understanding the beautiful spectrum of identities and orientations. 🏳️🌈 Let's celebrate diversity and embrace inclusivity together! Lesbian - A woman who is attracted to other women. Gay - A person (often a man) who is attracted to people of the same gender. Bisexual - A person who is attracted to both men and women. Transgender - A person whose gender identity is different from the sex they were assigned at birth. Queer - A general term for people who do not conform to traditional gender or sexuality norms; also used as a self-affirming umbrella term for the LGBTQIAA community. Intersex - A person born with physical sex characteristics that don't fit typical definitions of male or female. Asexual - A person who does not experience sexual attraction. Ally - A person who supports and advocates for the rights and inclusion of LGBTQIAA individuals. Let's educate ourselves and others to foster a kinder, more inclusive society. To create a kind world, we need to accept each other with everything they are. https://lnkd.in/gmHC4TZK #pridemonth #queercommunity #inclusivesociety