In a recent Gallup poll, almost 70% of Americans voiced their disapproval of allowing biological men to compete in women’s sports. According to the poll, Americans seem to view transgender sports participation more through the lens of competitive fairness rather than transgender civil rights.
Poll finds Americans don't think biological men should compete in women's sports: 'Pendulum has swung too far' https://t.co/zGHB9XXBcW
— Fox News (@FoxNews) September 16, 2023
This data reflects a significant shift in public opinion from just two years ago, indicating that the majority of the country aligns with current laws that restrict transgender athlete participation.
The survey revealed a notable increase in opposition, rising from 62% in 2021 to 69% in 2023, with a preference for athletes playing on teams that match their birth gender. Conversely, support for transgender athletes participating on teams aligned with their current gender identity has declined from 34% in 2021 to 26% in 2023.
The poll also revealed an interesting trend regarding personal relationships with transgender individuals. While knowing a transgender person tended to make respondents more accepting of pro-transgender policies, this relationship “weakened” over the past two years, suggesting a growing skepticism about transgender athlete participation.
Additionally, Gallup inquired about Americans’ views on the transgender population in general, discovering that 55% consider changing one’s gender to be morally wrong, while 43% find it morally acceptable. Although these numbers have shifted slightly as 2021’s poll revealed 51% and 46%, respectively, they reflect a nation still divided on the issue.
Age played a significant role in these views, with 60% of 18 to 29-year-olds finding gender change morally acceptable, compared to 48% of those aged 30 to 49 and 32% of those aged 50 and older.
Even among Democrats, who largely support LGBTQ+ rights and peddle the concept of gender affirmation, there is division on whether transgender athletes should compete according to their gender identity or biological gender. Remarkably, nearly half of all Democrats surveyed now favor athletes playing on teams consistent with their biological gender, up from 41% in 2021.
The Republican viewpoint on this issue is clear, however. In 2021, 86% of Republicans believed that transgender athletes should play on teams that match their gender. Now, that number has risen to 93%, with Independents also showing an increase in support, from 63 to 67%.
The poll comes as transgender participation in women’s sports has become a major political issue, with the Left mostly holding on to their support for what many have called an unfair matchup. In the past couple of years, many red states, including Texas, Florida, Idaho, Missouri, Arkansas, Alabama and Montana, have enacted laws to keep biological men from competing against female athletes.
The efforts have also gone national as the Republican-led House recently passed a national ban on biological men competing in women’s sports. While President Joe Biden has vowed to veto it if it manages to pass the Democrat-controlled Senate, it reflects the GOP’s dedication to preserving fairness in sports and protecting the integrity of women’s sports.
