How do religious and moral beliefs influence Americans’ willingness to speak up on behalf of gay people?
Religious and moral beliefs are the justification for many Americans to speak up, but not in the way most commonly portrayed. Nearly the same number of people cited their religious or moral beliefs as the reason they do speak up in support of gay people than those who use it as a reason not to speak up. • Nearly 7 out of 10 straight Americans (68%) believe that others don’t speak up on behalf of gays and lesbians “on religious and/or moral grounds.” • While 20% of straight Americans who have not spoken up cite religious or moral beliefs as the reason they do not speak up for gay people –importantly, a nearly identical proportion of straight Americans who have (18%) state that religious or moral grounds is their justification for speaking up on behalf of gays and lesbians. Methodology Harris Interactive® conducted the study online within the United States between September 21 and 25, 2007, among 2,199 adults (ages 18 and over), of whom 1,819 indicated they are heterosexual and 131 self-
