PRINCETON, N.J., May 16 (UPI) — Nearly half of U.S. residents believe gays and lesbians are born with their sexual orientation, while a third say it’s a matter of conditioning, a poll found.
Two years ago, the public was evenly divided, Gallup reported Thursday.
In answer to the question “In your view, is being gay or lesbian something a person is born with, or due to factors such as upbringing and environment,” 47 percent responded that homosexuals were born with the orientation. Some 33 percent said homosexuality was caused by upbringing or environment.
When Gallup asked the question in 1977, the response was the opposite. Some 56 percent said homosexuality was due to upbringing, while 13 percent said people were born with the orientation.
While movement in the last two years toward the belief sexual orientation was inherent was found among all categories, the greatest change was seen in the 18-29 age group. In 2011, 38 percent of those respondents said they believed gays and lesbians were born with the orientation, while this year 49 percent held that belief.
Conversely, 47 percent in 2011 said sexual orientation was a matter of upbringing. In 2013, only 33 percent said that.
The poll found more than 50 percent of respondents now believe gays and lesbians should be able to marry. Some 75 percent of those polled said they know a friend, family member or coworker who is gay.
The poll was conducted May 2-7 with 1,535 adults in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The margin of error is 3 percent.
Copyright 2013 United Press International, Inc. (UPI).
13 thoughts on “Poll: 47 percent of U.S. now thinks homosexuality is inherent”
Watchdog makes the common mistake of comparing man to all other species. Therefore his logic is flawed. This is what happens when average IQ men attempt to reason.
LBS, so you are saying Mankind is not part of all creatures, great and small. Is that it?
What differentiates humans from all other creatures is the “power to reason”.
I find it odd that you use your “power to reason” for the purpose of fault finding. Rather then discuss for the sake of discussion, you get insulting and mean.
Why?
@Watchdog-because she is stoned all the time. Right Tonya? When did you get out of jail?
New wave churchies are against it. Same people who want to lock up sick marijuana users. Jesus would weep.
@LBS-you are really Tonya posting under another name aren’t you??? AKA BrickforBrains.
LBS you don’t know Jesus, I know Jesus and he would not weep.
He would say, “Seek forgiveness”.
But, I know Jesus better than you. He would weep.
LBS is sounding more and more like Peter Lagois all the time.
Homosexuality/sexual orientation is personal and should be private. It is nothing to fear. It is something to understand. It ends up as a lifestyle.
If, it is true that some humans are born with this affliction, then homosexuality is a birth defect. If homosexuality is due to factors such as upbringing and environment then it is a mental illness.
How do I come to this understanding?
Procreation is part of nature and inherent in all earth’s creatures, great and small. The first law of nature is self-preservation therefore making procreation our first need.
Homosexuality “defies” nature and therefore has to be either a birth defect or a mental illness. To be afflicted with homosexuality is unnatural to nature.
How people react to this affliction called homosexuality is for another discussion. For now, mankind has to address the homosexual affliction as either a birth defect or mental illness. How we address this affliction is why homosexuality is in the news.
If someone else has a better explanation, I am all ears.
So asexual reproduction in nature is a mental illness? You try telling that to a hammerhead shark.
Nature is not concerned about the individual, it is concerned about the species.
@Watchdog-good post.
Then why do gays live substantially SHORTER lives than regular, god-fearing straight CHRISTIAN folks? Maybe GOD has a plan?