A new poll from Gallup has found that more than six in ten adults say they oppose bans on gender-affirming care for minors. However, 51% of Americans still believe changing one’s gender to be morally wrong, and 44% say it is morally acceptable.
Despite the fact that most Americans oppose bans on gender-affirming care, around 25 states have enacted laws or policies to restrict access to this care, according to Gallup.
Throughout the country, these bans block minors from receiving psychological counseling, being prescribed puberty blockers or hormone treatments and undergoing gender-affirming surgeries.
Gallup polled Americans on their thoughts on gender-affirming care based on two questions. One question inquires about bans on “treatments and medical procedures,” while a second question references specific treatment bans such as “psychological support, hormonal treatments and medical surgeries” for minors.
For both questions, around one-third of American adults said they are in favor of gender-affirming care bans, with around 60% opposing. The study goes further to identify those who consider gender transitioning morally acceptable as a majority of political liberals at 81%, Democrats at 72%, those who don’t practice religion regularly at 59%, young adults between 18-29 at 56% and college graduates at 53%.
“A slim majority of Americans believe that changing one’s gender is morally wrong. Yet, a majority also oppose laws banning gender-affirming care to help minors align with their gender identity,” the report indicates.
“This discrepancy could be because the questions about gender-affirming care specifically mention minors, while the question about the morality of changing one’s gender does not.”
