Poll: Americans okay with transgender people in military but not in sports

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• The latest Gallup survey showed that majority of Americans were in favor of having transgender people in the military but not in interscholastic sports tournaments.
• Those who opposed transgender in sports argued that they have strong body builds than cisgender athletes.
• LGBT and civil right groups have denounced the restrictions against transgender athletes.

A new poll showed that the majority of Americans were okay with having trans people serving in the military while disagreeing that they should participate in sports competition.

The study was initiated by Gallup consulting company through its annual Values and Belief survey. 

It discovered that only three out of 10 respondents agreed that trans athletes should participate in sports teams that would match their gender orientation. Meanwhile, around 62 percent claimed that trans athletes should play sports based on their biological gender at birth. The remaining respondents just abstained.

With regard to military service, the survey found a different story.

Nearly seven out of 10 respondents claimed that they are in favor of transgender individuals to serve in the US military. The figures, though, were smaller compared to 71 percent approval in 2019.

Per Gallup, the dip in the percentage came from independents.

“Political independents, meanwhile, have become less supportive than they were in 2019 — down 12 percentage points. Still, two in three self-identifying independents favor allowing openly trans people to serve,” the company said.

At least nine states (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota and Tennessee) have restricted transgender women from participating in female sports interscholastic competitions.

Most of the policies were carried out last year while other states have also thought of implementing the same rules.

People who opposed trans people, specifically transgender female sports participants, argued that such athletes possess stronger builts, having more bone mass and muscle volume compared to cisgender athletes.

LGBT and civil rights groups have cried foul over the recent prohibitions, pointing out that most legislators who spearheaded the measures did not bring up any pressing issue about the matter.

Source: New York Post