In the past decade, queer Americans have won amazing fights from Supreme Court decisions to to public office. Since 2009, public support for LGBT rights has skyrocketed — until now.
Overall support of LGBT rights has dropped by 1% over the last two years, according to data from the Pew Research Center. More jarringly, though, is data from a Harris poll commissioned by GLAAD that found that among younger Americans aged 18-34, 36% would find it uncomfortable learning a family member was queer. That’s a marked rise from 29% in 2018. Of males alone, the increase in that discomfort was 11% — from 32% to 43% in just one year.
Further, 39% were uncomfortable learning their child was taught about LBGT history in school — up from 30% last year — and 34% would be uncomfortable with a queer doctor, up from 27%. There’s also been a in Americans believing LBGT people face discrimination.
These statistics are alarming for a few reasons. There’s a perception that demographics are destiny, and therefore that the support of young people promises an egalitarian future for queer Americans. But data released this Pride Month suggests that support is eroding.
And there are very real threats faced by the queer community. Not only are , but the stark reality is transgender Americans — particularly those of color — are . Some voices on the right have redefined LGBT as “.” And the Trump administration has only fanned the flames consuming the queer community.
From jokes about how to efforts to that led to a spike in , Trump has pushed an anti-queer agenda. This bigotry, however, has been largely ignored by media for his other, more bombastic actions against marginalized communities.
But the GLAAD survey found that the Trump administration’s homophobia and transphobia has been a to the erosion of support for queer Americans.
And that erosion isn’t only in public support polling. It could come in the form of overturning the seminal win for LBGT rights of the last decade — gay marriage. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas recently to the 2014 Obergefell v. Hodges decision that granted gay Americans the right to marry, and Justice Brett Kavanaugh refused to declare Obergefell settled law, also encouraging efforts to overturn the decision.
To say nothing of the fact that most states still allow queer Americans to be fired or for their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Pride Month celebrates the hard-won and long-fought rights of the LGBT community. But this year it’s more apparent than ever that the battle to be equal is far from over.