A majority of Black adults are open-minded or supportive of transgender acceptance, new poll finds
A majority of Black adults are open-minded or supportive of transgender acceptance, new poll finds
New HIT Strategies survey for Equality Florida finds crucial insights into the attitudes and sentiments of Black Americans regarding transgender rights and inclusion
MIAMI, FL — In this election cycle, right-wing candidates leaned heavily on anti-transgender messaging as a strategy to win over persuadable voters, particularly Black voters in Southern states. Despite this push, a new HIT Strategies poll for Equality Florida finds that a vast majority (81%) of Black respondents are either supportive or neutral about greater social acceptance of transgender people in our society, indicating an openness to evolving their beliefs. The poll also found that this openness is not limited to any specific age group, gender, or political ideology, showing that Black voters across demographics are winnable on the issue of transgender rights and acceptance.
These findings stand in stark contrast with political narratives leveraged in this election cycle, and make clear that this anti-transgender rhetoric does not align with the values or desires of most Black Americans. The results highlight a growing trend of acceptance and support for transgender rights within the Black community and suggest a significant potential for shaping perspectives, with far-reaching implications for policy-making, social inclusion, and advancing transgender acceptance.
In addition to the social acceptance of transgender people, the poll also finds:
- More than 3 in 5 Black Americans (63%) say we can have compassion and empathy for someone else’s identity even if we do not understand it and protect their freedom to live their lives how they see fit.
- Equal Rights and Empathy emerged as top values among all respondents, particularly parents (with 83% total agreement), showing an openness to messages centered on compassion and protection.
- A majority of respondents say students should be free to learn about sensitive subjects even if some parents disagree with it.
HIT interviewed a sample of 1,000 Black or African American adults age 18+, with an oversample of adults in the South. The survey was conducted from September 26-October 6, 2024. The poll has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points at the 95% confidence level for all respondents.
View the results to learn more.
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Equality Florida:
Equality Florida is the largest civil rights organization dedicated to securing full equality for Florida’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community. Through education, grassroots organizing, coalition building, and lobbying, we are changing Florida so that no one suffers harassment or discrimination on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity.