Public Opinion Polls
78% of the public supports allowing openly gay people to serve in the military,
41% of vets who served in the Afghanistan 0r Iraq war and are under the age of 35 favor allowing gay and lesbians to serve openly.
36% of vets who served in the Afghanistan 0r Iraq war and are over the age of 35 oppose allowing gay and lesbians to serve openly.
69% favor permitting people who are openly gay or lesbian to serve in the military
2010 (Feb) – CBS News/New York Times
Finding: “Support for gays in the military depends on the question.”
2010 (Feb) – Quinnipiac University
57% of voters say homosexuals should be able to serve openly in the military
66% of voters say DADT policy is discrimination
82% of voters say military should stop pursuing action against troops outed against their will
65% of voters think ending DADT will not be divisive or impact combat readiness
50% of voters think the Pentagon should not provide support for domestic partners
2010 (Jan) – Center for American Progress
53 % of self-ascribed Republicans oppose lifting the ban. 71 percent of Democrats favor repeal, as do 58 percent of Independents.
11% believe that DADT makes the military stronger. 61 percent believe it makes no difference either way.
63% believe that a repeal of DADT should be implemented across the military all at the same time, rather than branch by branch.
69% in favor of gays serving openly in the military
58% of conservatives in favor of gays serving openly in the military
77% of moderates in favor of gays serving openly in the military
58% of Republicans in favor of gays serving openly in the military
67% of Independents in favor of gays serving openly in the military
60% of weekly church attendees in favor of gays serving openly in the military
2009 (Apr) – Quinnipiac University
69% in favor of gays serving openly
56% think the ban on openly gay men and women in the military should be repealed
50% of people with family members in the military think the ban should be repealed
2008 (Dec) – CNN/Opinion Research Corporation
81% in favor of open service for gay men and women
2008 (Jul) – Washington Post/ABC News
75% think gays who publicly disclose their sexual orientation should be allowed to serve
64% of Republicans think gays who publicly disclose their sexual orientation should be allowed to serve
2007 (May) – CNN/Opinion Research Corporation
79% think people who are openly gay or homosexual should be allowed to serve in the military
2006 (Dec) – Zogby International
73% of military personnel are comfortable with lesbians and gays
23% of service members know for sure that someone in their unit is gay, including 21% in combat units
45% of military personnel suspect a member of their unit is gay
2006 (Mar) – The PEW Research Center
62% of moderate Republicans support open service
85% of liberal Democrats support open service
67% of Catholics support open service
53% of Protestants support open service
66% of Americans in the Northeast support open service
58% of Americans in the South support open service.
79% of respondents said gays should be allowed to serve openly in the military
76% say homosexuals should be employed in the armed forces
2004 (Nov) – CNN/USA Today/Gallup
63% in favor of gays serving openly in the military
46% of conservatives in favor of gays serving openly in the military
72% of moderates in favor of gays serving openly in the military
52% of Republicans in favor of gays serving openly in the miltiary
63% of Independents in favor of gays serving openly in the military
49% of weekly church attendees in favor of gays serving openly in the military
2004 (Oct) – The Annenberg National Election Survey
50% of junior enlist personnel say that gays and lesbians should be allowed to serve openly in the military
29% of military personnel believe open service is an issue of equal rights.
64% of those polled support allowing gays to serve openly
80% say homosexuals should be employed in the armed forces
2003 (Dec) – CNN/USA Today/Gallup
91% of those aged 18-29 support gays serving openly in the military
85% of women support gays serving openly in the military
73% of men support gays serving openly in the military
80% say homosexuals should be employed in the armed forces
2001 (Jun) – ABC News/Washington Post
62% would serve with gays who disclosed their orientation
72% say homosexuals should be employed in the armed forces
72% say homosexuals should be employed in the armed forces
69% say homosexuals should be employed in the armed forces
70% say homosexuals should be employed in the armed forces
66% say homosexuals should be employed in the armed forces
65% say homosexuals should be employed in the armed forces
58% say homosexuals should be employed in the armed forces
1993 (Jul) – NBC/Wall Street Journal
40% favor allowing openly gay men and lesbian women to serve in the military
1993 (Jun) – NBC/Wall Street Journal
47% say homosexuals should be employed in the armed forces
1993 (May) – ABC News/Washington Post
44% would serve with gays who disclosed their orientation
54% favor allowing gay men and lesbian women to serve openly in the military
48% say homosexuals should be employed in the armed forces
59% say homosexuals should be employed in the armed forces
57% say homosexuals should be employed in the armed forces
60% say homosexuals should be employed in the armed forces
51% say homosexuals should be employed in the armed forces
Related Polls:
83% say homosexuals should be employed in the Canadian armed forces
1985 – Canadian Dept. Of National Defense
62% of male service members would refuse to share showers, undress, or sleep in the same room as a gay soldier*
45% would refuse to work with gays*
1996 – United Kingdom Ministry of Defense
66% of male respondents would not willingly serve in the military if gays and lesbians were allowed to serve*
*When Canada and Britain subsequently lifted their gay bans, these dire predictions were not come to fruition.
