Hamilton College - Gay Issues Poll

Figures in parentheses indicate total number of respondents answering each question (out of sample of 1,003). Refusals and volunteered "don't know" responses are excluded from percentages and totals.

1. GAY ISSUES
LEGAL
Do you think homosexual relations between consenting adults should or should not be legal?

	%
1) Favor	71.0
2) Oppose	29.0
TOTAL	100.0
	(911)

JOBDISC
Do you favor or oppose laws to protect gays against job discrimination?

	%
1) Favor	79.0
2) Oppose	21.0
TOTAL	100.0
	(932)

HATECRM
Do you favor or oppose laws to protect gays against hate crimes, such as vandalism or physical attacks, directed against them because they are homosexuals?

	%
1) Favor	87.8
2) Oppose	12.2
TOTAL	100.0
	(975)

GAYBS
Should an openly gay man be permitted to serve as a Boy Scout troop leader if he is otherwise qualified?

	%
1) Favor	70.5
2) Oppose	29.5
TOTAL	100.0
	(932)

MILITARY
As you may know, gay men and lesbians are allowed to serve in the military, but ONLY if they do not reveal their homosexuality or engage in homosexual activity. Which of the following three options do you prefer? 1. Do you favor keeping this current policy? 2. Changing to a policy that would allow homosexuals to serve OPENLY in the military, or 3. Changing to a policy that would NOT allow homosexuals to serve in the military at all?

	%
1) Current	51.9
2) Openly	40.1
3) Not Allow	8.0
Total	100.0
	(983)

MARRIAGE
Do you think marriages between homosexuals should or should not be recognized by law as valid with the same rights as traditional marriage?

	%
1) Should	66.0
2) Shouldn't	34.0
TOTAL	100.0
	(933)

ADOPT
Do you think gay or lesbian couples should or should not be allowed to adopt children?

	%
1) Should	68.0
2) Shouldn't	32.0
TOTAL	100.0
	(926)

2. ATTITUDES TOWARD GAYS
Response categories for these items were strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree.

CONTRIB
Gay people contribute in unique and positive ways to society

	%
1) StrAg	18.9
2) Agree	58.2
3) Disagr	17.3
4) StrDisag	5.7
TOTAL	100.0
	(863)

LESBACPT
Lesbian women should be accepted by society

	%
1) StrAg	26.1
2) Agree	60.0
3) Disagr	9.4
4) StrDisag	4.6
TOTAL	100.0
	(965)

GAYACPT
Gay men should be accepted by society

	%
1) StrAg	25.4
2) Agree	59.8
3) Disagr	9.4
4) StrDisag	5.4
TOTAL	100.0
	(961)

CLOSET
Gay people have a right to exist but they should keep their sexuality private and hidden

	%
1) StrAg	13.4
2) Agree	31.0
3) Disagr	44.2
4) StrDisag	11.4
TOTAL	100.0
	(927)

WRONG
Gay lifestyles are morally wrong

	%
1) StrAg	18.3
2) Agree	20.5
3) Disagr	38.1
4) StrDisag	23.2
TOTAL	100.0
	(932)

LESBDISG
Lesbians are disgusting

	%
1) StrAg	7.1
2) Agree	15
3) Disagr	48.4
4) StrDisag	29.5
TOTAL	100.0
	(920)

GAYDISG
Gay men are disgusting

	%
1) StrAg	11.5
2) Agree	18.9
3) Disagr	42.9
4) StrDisag	26.6
TOTAL	100.0
	(922)

INDXTOLER
Index of attitudes toward gays created from CONTRIB, LESACPT, GAYACPT, CLOSET, WRONG, LESBDISG, GAYDISG, . ProGay indicates average response of 2 (agree) or less on positive items re. gays (e.g., "Gay people contribute ... to society") and 3 (disagree) or more on negative items (e.g., "[G]ay people should keep their sexuality hidden.") for original variables. Negative indicates average of 3 (disagree) or more on positive items (Individual scores are based on all items answered by each respondent. Unanswered items are excluded from calculations).

	%
1) ProGay	51.1
2) Negative	48.9
TOTAL	100.0
	(1,003)

3. DEMOGRAPHICS

REGION
Northeast = as far south as MD and DC. South = Southeast, extending to VA, WV, and TX. Central = Great Lakes, Midwest extending to TN, KY, OK. West = Mountain States to Pacific.

	%
1) N/EAST	20.0
2) SOUTH	28.4
3) CENTR	29.0
4) WEST	22.6
TOTAL	100.0
	(1,003)

SEX

	%
1)Male	46.9
2) Female	53.1
TOTAL	100.0
	(1,003)

PLACE
Which best describes the place you live? Rural area; Suburbs; Town or city under 100,000; Medium-sized city, between 100,000 and 500,000; Large city, over 500,000.

	%
1) Rural	25.1
2) Suburb	21.6
3) Und100k	22.8
4) 100-500k	19.7
5) Ov500k	10.8
TOTAL	100.0
	(997)

TWOPARENTS
Do you live with both parents?

	%
1)Yes	75.7
2) No	24.3
TOTAL	100.0
	(1,003)

PARENTS
Do you live with your mother only, your father only, your mother and stepfather, or your father and stepmother, or in some other family arrangement? (Asked of those who answered No to 2PARENTS)

	%
1) MotherOnly	49.8
2) FatherOnly	14.7
3) Mother&Step	17.3
4) Father&Step	11.1
5) Other	7.1
TOTAL	100.0
	(242)

PAED
How much education did your father complete? 1. Did not complete high school 2. High school 3. Some college 4. College graduate 5. Postgraduate education

	#
1) Not HS	6.8
2) HS	30.7
3) SomeCol	22.4
4) ColGrad	27.8
5) PostGrad	12.3
TOTAL	100.0
	(959)

MAED
How much education did your mother complete? 1. Did not complete high school 2. High school 3. Some college 4. College graduate 5. Postgraduate education ( MA-ED )

	#
1) Not HS	5.6
2) HS	39.5
3) SomeCol	21.4
4) ColGrad	23.0
5) PostGrad	10.6
TOTAL	100.0
	(967)

INCOME
If you had to guess, what will your family's income be this year?

	#
1)Und$25k	8.1
2) $25-50k	34.1
3) $50-75k	28.5
4) $75k-100k	15.0
5) Ov$100k	14.4
TOTAL	100.0
	(820)

RACE/ETH
Which category best describes your ethnic or racial background?

	#
1)White	70.8
2) Black	10.6
3) Hispanic	10.7
4) Asian	3.0
5) Othr/Mix	5.0
TOTAL	100.0
	(998)

4. RELIGION/POLITICAL PARTY

RELIGION
Do you consider yourself Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, some other religion or no religion at all?

	#
1)Prot	25.3
2) Cath	30.5
3) Jewish	1.6
4) Othr	27.3
5) NoRel	15.3
TOTAL	100.0
	(985)

BORNAGN2
Would you describe yourself as an evangelical or born-again Christian?

	%
1)Yes	28.0
2) No	72.0
TOTAL	100.0
	(1,002)

RELIGIOUS
How many times, if any, did you attend a religious service during the last month?

	%
1) None	24.1
2) One	7.4
3) Two	11.7
4) Three	9.2
5) Four	18.7
6) Five	6.8
7) Six	4.2
8) Seven	1.4
9) Eight	3.9
10) Nine	0.4
11) Ten+	12.3
TOTAL	100.0
	(831)

PARTY
Which political party do you most prefer: the Democrats or the Republicans?

	%
1)Democrats	53.1
2) Republicans	46.9
TOTAL	100.0
	(774)

5. POSTGRADUATION PLANS

SERVICE
Have you ever considered enlisting in the military?

	%
1)Yes	38.5
2) No	61.5
TOTAL	100.0
	(1,000)

COLLEGE
Have you applied for admission to a four-year college or university next fall?

	%
1)Yes	68.3
2) No	31.7
TOTAL	100.0
	(1,003)

6. PARENTAL OPINION/WHY GAY?/KNOWING GAYS.

HOME
If you brought a friend home who happened to be gay, how do you think your parents would react? Would they be accepting, partially accepting, or not accepting at all?

	%
1) Accept	39.9
2) PartialAc	41.0
3) NotAc	19.1
TOTAL	100.0
	(968)

YGAY
In your opinion, what causes someone to be gay? Is it something that people are born with? Is it something that develops because of the way people are brought up, or is it just the way that some people choose to live?

	%
1) Born	22.6
2) BrUp	15.5
3) Choose	61.9
TOTAL	100.0
	(895)

OPENGAY
Thinking of all the people you know, either well or even only casually - do you know of anyone who is openly gay?

	%
1)Yes	69.0
2) No	31.0
TOTAL	100.0
	(1001)

CLOSE
Have any of your friends, relatives or close acquaintances let you know they are gay or lesbian? (Not asked of respondents who answered No on OPENGAY.)

	%
1)Yes	58.1
2) No	41.9
TOTAL	100.0
	(692)

MAYBEGAY
Do you know of anyone who you think is gay?

	%
1) Yes	72.3
2) No	27.7
TOTAL	100.0
	(990)

KNOWGAYS?
Acquaintance with gays. CLOSE = someone close who is openly gay. OPEN = openly gay but not close. MAYBE = may be gay but not close or open. NONE = None of these. [Created from CLOSE, OPEN, MAYBE]

	%
1) Close	40.4
2) Open	28.9
3) Maybe	15.8
4) None	14.6
TOTAL	100.0
	(996)

7. HIGH SCHOOLS

SKOL
Is your high school public, Catholic, or private school?

	%
1) Public	90.8
2) Catholic	4.5
3) Private	4.7
TOTAL	100.0
	(1,003)

SKOLSIZE
Approximately how big is it?

	%
1) Und500	21.4
2) 500-1000	26.2
3) 1000-2000	33.5
4) Ov 2000	18.9
TOTAL	100.0
	(992)

GAYHS
As far as you know, are there students at your school who are openly homosexual - that is students who let people know that they are gay or lesbian?

	%
1) Yes	58.7
2) No	41.3
TOTAL	100.0
	(975)

SOGAY
Do students at your school use the phrase 'That's so gay' to talk about something they don't like?

	%
1) Yes	87.8
2) No	12.2
TOTAL	100.0
	(994)

INSULTS
Have you ever heard anyone insult another student who is believed to be gay by calling them, to their face, faggot, homo, dyke or anything like that?

	%
1) Yes	49.1
2) No	50.9
TOTAL	100.0
	(1,001)

GSA
Many high schools have organizations to support homosexual students. Sometimes they are called Gay-Straight Alliances. Does your school have a group like that?

	%
1) Yes	13.0
2) No	87.0
TOTAL	100.0
	(963)

CLASSES
Have issues concerning homosexuality or gay rights been discussed in any of the classes you have taken in high school?

	%
1) Yes	46.8
2) No	53.2
TOTAL	100.0
	(989)

DISCUSS
Do you feel that these issues should be discussed in high school classes?

	%
1) Yes	76.3
2) No	23.7
TOTAL	100.0
	(967)

8. COMFORT WITH GAYS

TEACHER
Here are some situations in which you might encounter a gay person. For each situation tell me if you would feel comfortable, uncomfortable or somewhere in between. For example, imagine that you are taking a class taught by a gay man. Do you feel comfortable, uncomfortable or somewhere in between?

	%
1) Comf	62.1
2) Between	28.3
3) Uncomf	9.5
TOTAL	100.0
	(998)

LAB
Your lab partner, who is the same sex that you are, is gay

	%
1) Comf	43.1
2) Between	28.9
3) Uncomf	28.0
TOTAL	100.0
	(989)

TEAMMATE
You are on an athletic team with a gay person and you use the same locker room

	%
1) Comf	38.0
2) Between	27.7
3) Uncomf	34.3
TOTAL	100.0
	(987)

COUPLES
You are at a party with both gay and straight couples

	%
1) Comf	31.5
2) Between	27.8
3) Uncomf	40.7
TOTAL	100.0
	(994)

INDXCOMF
Index of comfort with gays. Equal to number of "Comfortable" responses on TEACHER, LAB, TEAMMATE, COUPLES.

	%
0	27.1
1	22.5
2	17.3
3	16.4
4	16.7
TOTAL	100.0
	(1,003)

9. HOW CERTAIN?

BEFORE
Before you answered this poll, how often had you discussed or thought about gay issues?

	%
1) Never	10.5
2) Seldom	33.6
3) Sometms	39.1
4) Often	16.8
TOTAL	100.0
	(1,003)

CERTAIN
Some people are very certain in their opinions about gay issues, like the ones we've asked about. Others are still making up their minds about these issues. How would you describe the certainty of your own opinions?

	%
1) VryCertain	47.7
2) FairlyCert	44.7
3) FairlyUncert	6.1
4) VryCert	1.5
TOTAL	100.0
	(984)

Gay Issues Poll

Developed by:
Dennis Gilbert, Professor of Sociology
Irene Agriodimas '01
Nicole Barron '02
Timothy Berbenich '02
Michael Ford '02
Steven Guditus '01
Paul Jones '03
R. Hunter Kurtz '01
Kristin Schaefer '02
Nicholas Stark '01

Conducted in collaboration with:
Zogby International

Supported by:
The Arthur Levitt Public Affairs Center at Hamilton College

Co-released with:
MTV