Politics: The State Of LGBTQ+ Rights In 2026

0:00This message comes from the United States Postal Service, dedicated to putting reliability at the core of USPS Ground advantage to help businesses operate smoothly. More at usps.com slash ground advantage.

0:26Across the U.S., cities and communities are celebrating Pride for the month of June. At the same time, a new poll from Gallup suggests attitudes around LGBTQ issues are shifting. After two decades of increasing support among those surveyed, that support has now dropped, the swing being largely driven by Republicans. Only four years ago, Gallup polling data suggested a majority of Republicans supported same-sex marriage at 55 percent. That number is now at 37 percent, levels last seen more than a decade ago. Support for transgender issues among Republicans Gallup polled is also down. only 5 % say changing one's gender is morally acceptable.

1:09That number was at 22 % five years ago. Trans rights in the U.S. have become an especially hot-button issue among conservative politicians and voters. President Trump even campaigned on it, spending millions of dollars on anti-trans political ads. Since then, the administration has rolled back protections for trans people and access to gender-affirming care. I'm Jen White. You're listening to the 1A Podcast. Today, we ask, what is the state of LGBTQ rights in the U.S. today? And what does this reported dip in acceptance mean for the community? We'll be back with answers to those questions and more after this short break.

1:45Stay with us.

1:50This message comes from WISE, the app for international people using money around the globe. You can send, spend, and receive in up to 40 currencies with only a few simple taps. Be smart. Get WISE. Download the WISE app today or visit WISE.com. T's and C's apply. This message comes from BetterHelp. Summer can feel like a sprint. Kids home, trips to plan, routines flipped upside down. It's easy to slip into survival mode just trying to get through it. Then suddenly, it's over. And you're wishing you enjoyed the days just a little bit more. Therapy can help you slow down and actually be present for the moments that matter.

2:29With BetterHelp, you can connect with a licensed therapist from anywhere, on your schedule. Don't just survive the summer. Thrive. Visit BetterHelp.com slash NPR. This message comes from Alloy Health. Midlife changes your body in ways no one prepares you for. The skin shifts, the weight that won't budge. But here's the truth. You deserve to feel fantastic. With the right care, confidence comes back. Alloy Health is designed for exactly this moment. Alloy connects you with specialized doctors so you can navigate menopause with real support and care built for this stage of life. Right now, new customers get$20 off sitewide when you visit myalloy.com and use code NPR.

3:13Support for this podcast and the following message come from TaskRabbit. For years, TaskRabbit has been your go-to local solution for those home projects that never seem to get checked off your to-do list. From furniture assembly and mounting to painting and minor home repairs, TaskRabbit continues to connect you with skilled neighbors in your community who can help today. Simply download the app, describe your task, and browse profiles of local taskers who are ready to get to work. To find your next tasker, visit TaskRabbit.com or download the app. Welcome back to the 1A Podcast. Let's get into our conversation and meet our guests.

3:51Jeffrey Jones is a senior editor at Gallup and the author of this latest poll on LGBTQ attitudes. Jeff, welcome back to the program. Thanks for having me. Also with us is Andrew Flores, an associate professor of political science at American University and a visiting scholar at the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law. His research focuses on attitude change and public policies affecting LGBTQ populations. Professor Flores, thanks for joining us. Thanks for having me. And Orion Rumler, a reporter covering LGBTQ health care at the 19th. Orion, welcome back. Thank you so much, Jen. So, Jeff, let's talk through these new numbers from Gallup that came out last week.

4:31First, how did you gather this data and who did you poll? We poll a random sample of American adults, so anyone 18 years of age or older. We do it by telephone so that we can maintain our trends that go back decades. With respect to the same-sex marriage trend, that goes back to 1996. When we first did that 27 % we're in favor of same-sex marriage. And as you mentioned, just a few years ago, it was up to 71%, which is really one of the biggest changes in public opinion that we have seen over these decades. But it has come down a little bit in the last few years. What should we keep in mind, Jeff, when talking about this most recent poll in terms of nuance in the data and how fully it can reflect the views of the entire U.S.

5:19population? I think the polling methodology is we try and keep it as consistent as possible. Obviously, we're responding to changes in societal things. Like, for example, we're doing a lot more interviews by cell phone than we used to in the past. But we make sure that we represent everybody in the U.S. as much as possible and trying to keep everything consistent so that when we see changes over time, we know it's because attitudes are changing and that people, you know, the sample isn't changing or it's not due to some methodological change. We heard from so many of you about this latest poll.

5:56Here's some of what you shared.

6:23supportive and outspoken, given the dangers that I've seen, you know, come to my friends in that community. So I try to be a positive light in that area now. Joanne Patrick, thanks for those voicemails. You can add your voice to the conversation. Has your own view shifted one way or the other? If you're part of the LGBTQ plus community, have you felt a difference in how your city or town approaches these issues? Email us at 1a at wamu.org. Professor Flores is someone who researches attitude shifts that affect LGBTQ communities, what was your initial reaction to the numbers Jeffrey shared? They were incredibly shocking to a degree, but it sort of highlights, at least to me, the continued fracture in the political polarization between the two parties and the way in which that there's been a growing movement that has been very much focused on transgender rights and how that has sort of spilled over into a broader question about LGBTQ rights.

7:34And I think that this growing partisan polarization is in part a part of this growing dialogue. Well, we heard from Kat in Michigan who emails, is a trans woman who has socially transitioned in her mid-20s. This decline in acceptance and rise in hate, especially from the federal government, weighs on my mental health constantly. Not only is it added stress, but the fear of losing rights is almost constant. I attribute a lot of it, especially recently, to the rise in the MAGA movement. And here's another message we got from one of you. Hi, I'm Roan. I'm calling from Chicago. And yeah, I'm queer.

8:09and, you know, I most like my friends and like the people I care about. Like, I don't think anyone's attitude around, you know, LGBT rights have changed at all. But I know it has changed at a federal level and just like, you know, in kind of online conversations and discourse and stuff. And, you know, I think it's really sad that, you know, people like me just want to live our lives and love who we love and be who we want. And, you know, that people have been kind of radicalized to thinking that there's a problem with that. Ron, thanks for that message. Orion, as Ron referenced, we've seen changes at the federal level.

8:43Give us a broad overview of how the Trump administration has approached LGBTQ rights. Absolutely. So this second Trump administration has prioritized rolling back LGBTQ rights in a way that we did not see the same intensity in the first Trump administration. So far, the federal government has terminated$600 million in CDC grants for programs supporting HIV and STD prevention. They've also gone through the National Institutes of Health. They've canceled over 800 million in research grants to understand LGBTQ health, including studies about cancer and HIV prevention. We've also seen a really specific focus on rolling back trans rights from this administration.

9:34The administration has barred trans people from getting passports that reflect the gender they're currently living as, which can make travel stressful. And we've also seen the administration also be really focused on investigating hospitals over gender-firm and care for minors. Specifically, the government is trying to get its hands-on private medical data of trans kids from across the country. And that escalation is definitely scaring a lot of parents, including trans parents. Professor Flores, give us some insight into the political messaging around LGBTQ rights that we've seen from the GOP just in recent years.

10:22Yeah, that's a great question. And I think that's one that is like underappreciated is that at least when I have conversations with interviewers, it's always that the Democrats are talking about transgender people and pronouns. And I think it's good to remind people that it's actually the Republican establishment and conservative movement that has actually made this a large issue. And in terms of the political dynamic, that's my major concern is how have transgender people just been put into a political situation that maybe they didn't even need to be in the first place. Jeff, were there other things that stood out to you from this data, specifically as it concerns LGBTQ rights and acceptance?

11:22One thing, too, I do want to emphasize, we have seen a backtrack in support for same-sex marriage, perceiving gay-lesbian relations as morally acceptable or changing one's gender as morally acceptable. But the decline has been, it hasn't been that great. So we still have about two-thirds in support for same-sex marriage. One thing that did stand out among Republicans, you noted that Republicans as a whole are opposed to same-sex marriage. However, it's mainly older Republicans who are opposed. We do find majority support for Republicans basically under the age of 55, pretty solid support. In fact, 63 % of Republicans who are 18 to 34 are in favor of same-sex marriage, and 57 % of those who are 35 to 54 who are Republicans support same-sex marriage.

12:13So there's definitely a big party story, but there's also a generational story, and we see younger generations much more supportive of same-sex marriage and LGBTQ rights than older Americans. Orion, it's been a little over a decade since the Supreme Court held that same-sex marriage is constitutionally protected under the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses in the 14th Amendment. But we're now seeing state-level challenges to same-sex marriage. It's happening in 11 states, according to the Associated Press. What's behind that push? Right, so nearly 50 conservative organizations, they've launched a new campaign lobbying to end marriage equality.

12:48It's called Greater Than. These are a lot of groups that people probably have heard about before, you know, Focus on the Family is an old one, the Heritage Foundation is involved. These groups are lobbying against marriage equality, but we do know the Supreme Court has shown little to no interest in revisiting their landmark 2015 ruling. Well, we have to take a quick break, but before we go, this message from one of you. Maria emails, I am part of the LGBTQ plus community. I have felt the shift in the larger fabric of the country and feel that it is largely due to the MAGA movement and shift in generations.

13:25It seems that young Gen Z men are leaning more conservative than their female counterparts, which may play a role in the support of same-sex marriage going down. We'll be right back.

13:39Support for this podcast and the following message come from TaskRabbit. For years, TaskRabbit has been your go-to local solution for those home projects that never seem to get checked off your to-do list. From furniture assembly and mounting to painting and minor home repairs, TaskRabbit continues to connect you with skilled neighbors in your community who can help today. Simply download the app, describe your task, and browse profiles of local taskers who are ready to get to work. To find your next tasker, visit TaskRabbit.com or download the app. This message comes from Alloy Health. Midlife changes your body in ways no one prepares you for.

14:17The skin shifts, the weight that won't budge. But here's the truth. You deserve to feel fantastic. With the right care, confidence comes back. Alloy Health is designed for exactly this moment. Alloy connects you with specialized doctors so you can navigate menopause with real support and care built for this stage of life. Right now, new customers get$20 off sitewide when you visit myalloy.com and use code NPR. This message comes from Ethos. Protect your family when the unexpected happens. Get life insurance through Ethos. 100 % online. Covered in minutes. Get your free quote today at ethos.com slash NPR.

14:57Application times may vary. This message comes from IXL. IXL's Level Up Diagnostic gives immediate benchmark results along with personalized action plans that link directly to IXL's skill practice. More at IXL.com slash NPR. Support for this NPR podcast and the following message come from the U.S. businesses of Philip Morris International, PMI U.S. focuses its corporate citizenship on making a local impact through strategic philanthropic investments. Their programs include support for veterans, economic empowerment initiatives, and employee volunteerism. These efforts are designed to assist organizations that serve communities across America.

15:40For more information on these initiatives, visit uspmi.com slash en slash community. Welcome back. We're discussing shifting views over LGBTQ rights in the U.S. We're here with Jeffrey Jones, a senior editor at Gallup and the author of a new poll on LGBTQ attitudes. Also with us, Andrew Flores, an associate professor of political science at American University and a visiting scholar at the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law. His research focuses on attitude change in public policies affecting LGBTQ populations, and Orion Rumler, a reporter covering LGBTQ health care at the 19th. We're also hearing from you.

16:21Hi, this is Hannah. I live in Baltimore County. I'm a member of the queer community. I have seen a lot of changes since the Trump administration came in and since the decline of support for gay marriage. I note that people are afraid to travel places. I certainly am with their kids because they're afraid of what could happen in certain states. Thanks for that message. We got this from Lynn who emails, who is making it a hot button issue? The press and these various polls by focusing on it. Same-sex marriage is legal. Stop spotlighting public opinion. You're making it worse. The conservative right wing is making it a wedge issue.

17:02By responding to them, the press somehow legitimizes their point of view and their hate. Professor Flores, how often do we see public opinion tied to change in policies? There's an intricate connection between kind of what the attitudes of the public are and what's reflected in public policy. It's sort of complicated. I have done research that actually shows that Obergefell or other legal cases have actually boosted support for marriage equality. And so there's kind of this symbiotic relationship between kind of what does the public want and how do our legal institutions and lawmaking institutions actually justify those?

17:56And then kind of does that also legitimize this opportunity to express maybe a more anti-LGBTQ perspective. And what you see in these data with Gallup and others are definitely this polarization around kind of what might be acceptable to say I'm not okay with this issue versus what am I okay with? Because it's pretty, I mean, yes, the decline in public support for marriage equality is definitely noteworthy. But I also want to get to Lynn's specific criticism, which is that talking about this in public, doing polling like what Gallup has done for many years, in some way drives or legitimizes the anti-LGBTQ point of view.

18:57And as someone who studies this, is that something you agree with? uh i i actually do not i'm sorry uh but because i think that it's really important for us to be able to track these understandings of where people are uh and that if there is this discomfort around marriage equality um that we should actually be able to understand that empirically like these are facts. And if these are the facts that we have to understand, then that's where, you know, that's where our science, our social science should go. I don't think not collecting the data is going to change the fact of what's going on in people's day-to-day lives.

19:45And Orion is a reporter who covers LGBTQ healthcare at the 19th. What do you make of the criticism that talking about these issues actually allows the ideas to gain traction? I think if the conversation is done well and thoughtfully, like we're having now, or the coverage is done well and thoughtfully, then it can help reach some of these people who are slipping away from LJTBQ acceptance. Because in my mind, the most important thing I can do as a journalist is tell someone's story and have someone read that story who maybe would never meet a queer or trans person. Like, I really want to share people's stories in ways that exposes people to new ideas, and I think it's crucial to do that.

20:32We also got this email from Adam who says, while I don't consider myself fully on the right, everyone is sick and tired of the policing of language and thought among the especially trans community and its allies. Sorry, but you're not correct or should automatically get your policies just because you're a marginalized group. And Professor Flores, I think this gets back to the earlier question about messaging versus policy. And I'm curious to hear your response to Adam's message there. Yes. Political correctness is a term that has been thrown around a lot. And I think there's a lot of people that want to be a part of a coalition that is very supportive of LGBTQ people, but then somehow feel as though they might be ostracized for saying the wrong thing.

21:27And so I think there's definitely an opportunity to be, like, welcoming more people in into a conversation. And there is good research behind this. just reminding people that you want to be a good person. It actually is effective in terms of making people change their minds around LGBTQ rights, especially transgender rights. And so it's just kind of reinforcing the idea that equality is a value that we value as Americans. And as long as that is actually communicated well, people tend to respond quite well to that. Jeff, going back to this latest Gallup poll, what did it suggest about how Americans are thinking about trans issues?

22:19It's a similar pattern to what we see for gay and lesbian issues specifically. We have seen a decline, but I will note that support for trans issues, it lags the support that we're seeing for same-sex marriage, gay-lesbian relations. So we're not at the majority in support for a lot of transgender issues. So when we ask people if they think it's morally acceptable to change one's gender, we're at around 40 % right now. And the highest we've gotten on that in our polling on it, which only goes back about five years, is 46. So that's something that people haven't really come around to to the same degree that they have come around for same-sex marriage and other issues.

23:03And when you look at political party identification alongside that data, how does it break down? We're still seeing Republicans are very opposed. I think that's a lot of what we're seeing with transgender issues. About 5 % are in support of changing one's gender. They think it's morally acceptable to do that. Certainly, we're getting much higher support among Democrats and independents. certainly a lot more among Democrats than independents, but still something just not quite getting the same kind of support that the other issues are. Well, I want us to hear from Sarah, a mother in Austin, Texas, who has a 12-year-old trans daughter.

23:46We've changed her name to protect their family. Sarah has joined us on the show several times throughout the years to talk about what life has been like for them in Texas, and she sent us this update. A recent change that has been especially cruel that did not go through our normal legislative process was a change made for behavioral health, mental health, therapy, and counselors for the state of Texas, and that they are no longer allowed to write letters of support for adolescents, transgender adolescents to receive health care, which of course is no longer legal here in the state of Texas, but people have been seeking outside of the state of Texas.

24:32In addition to this, it's been especially hard to hear about the new decision that was made in regards to the detransition clinic being opened up. Orion, last month we learned that Texas Children's Hospital is being mandated to create the country's first ever detransition clinic. It's part of a settlement agreement between the medical center, the Justice Department, and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. What do we know about the clinic in this agreement? Right, so we're just getting new details. Texas Tribune has been really on top of this. The clinic, it will be mandated to provide a lot of services, including surgery, primary care, fertility counseling, psychiatry, endocrinology, psychotherapy.

25:18you know and as someone who's been covering gender affirming care for a long time I read through this list and to me that sounds like it sounds the same as as any other gender clinic so you know obviously there's a political angle here where Texas has made it really clear that they do not want trans youth to transition to have access to these health care treatments But in practice, I'm really curious what the difference actually will be for something being called a detransition clinic versus the gender-affirming care clinics we had before. Because the services they're providing, they sound very similar.

25:58Well, let's go back to our voicemail box. Here's another message we got from one of you. Hi, I'm Leif from Davidson, North Carolina. And as a Gen X husband and parent to a queer teenager, my support for LGBTQ rights and issues is unwavering. And I am not remotely surprised that support for LGBTQ issues, because if there's one thing conservatives have proven is that they will play the long game, especially when it comes to denying the rights of people who are not white. If you are not a white male with a compliant white female by your side, conservatives believe you deserve less rights. And the easiest group to target is the queer community.

26:41We also heard from Lisa, who emails, I live in Bloomington, Indiana, and am part of the LGBTQ plus community here. The state's governor, Mike Braun, just declared June Nuclear Family Month, stating that a family is a man, a woman, and their children. I see this as possibly emboldening bigots, but it might also have the effect of repulsing people who are alarmed at that sort of government overreach. Professor Flores, is there any tension within the Republican Party about how much LGBTQ issues should be a major part of the GOP platform? that's a great question and uh and one that i thought i understood better earlier uh uh these new gallup data kind of show how much the uh members of the republican party can actually be polarized on these topics um uh it was what uh not too many years ago that was over a majority of Republicans actually supported marriage equality.

27:39And the Respect for Marriage Act was passed by a bipartisan bill in Congress. And so to have these topics end up becoming very, very divided is really surprising to me. And it really shows that opinion change, like there was no expectation that attitudes would have changed around marriage equality back in 2008, and they did. And so there's fluidity. And so opinion change can also go in the opposite direction. And so this tells me what polarization can do. But are you seeing within the GOP itself any tension around how much to focus on LGBTQ issues? Well, I mean, there is definitely that, I forget his name right now, but the recent politician who posted an ex-tweet that was around rejecting homosexuality in the United States.