Public attitudes about emergent issues in LGBTQ rights: Conversion therapy and religious refusals

Abstract

Following legal recognition of marriages for same-sex couples, new topics have emerged in debates over LGBT rights. While numerous studies of public opinion about gay and transgender rights have been examined, some emergent issues remain underexamined. Two prominent issues are conversion therapy and denials of service based on religious beliefs in a variety of settings. These areas of LGBT rights are dynamic, with some states recently banning conversion therapy on minors, the Trump Administration’s guidance on denials of service by health professionals, and some states funding adoption and foster agencies that refuse to provide services to same-sex couples and LGBT adults. In this study, we assess factors associated with public attitudes on these issues. While we find patterns that are consistent with previous studies, we also find inconsistencies when examining the effects of age, race, partisanship, educational attainment, and interpersonal contact. We further find that being a parent moderates the effects of interpersonal contact. Sometimes the moderated contact effects are large and positive but other times contact effects are negative. The contact effect depends on the particular type of contact such as with LGB people, transgender people, or knowing parents who have a transgender child.

Are urban spaces queer-friendly places? How geographic context shapes support for LGBT rights

“…Consequently, there is a need to better understand the role of urbanicity in shaping support for LGBT rights. The limited evidence in from extant literature suggests that we might observe a general, positive relationship between residence in urban environments and support for LGBT rights (Flores et al 2020). My first hypotheses therefore provides a direct test of this relationship: H1: Support for LGBT rights is higher in urban environments than nonurban environments.…”

“…However, little attention has been paid to variation in support for LGBT rights across the urban-rural interface. Though some contemporary studies include a dichotomous measure of subjective urbanicity (Flores et al 2020), 2 many do not include one at all (Cao & Gurcay 2021, Castle 2019, Flores 2015, Flores, Haider-Markel, Lewis, Miller, Tadlock & Taylor 2018, Jones, Brewer, Young, Lambe & Hoffman 2018, Lewis, Tadlock, Flores, Haider-Markel, Miller & Taylor 2021.…”

“…By contrast, outside large cities -and especially in exurban and rural areas -individuals are more likely to oppose LGBT rights. Indeed, those living in rural areas are more likely to oppose same-sex marriage (Smith, DeSantis & Kassel 2006, Sherkat, Vries & Creek 2010, and are less likely to oppose permitting the denial of service to LGBT individuals (Flores et al 2020).…”

Sexual orientation and gender identity and expression conversion exposure and their correlates among LGBTQI2+ persons in Québec, Canada

“…In Ryan et al’s [ 8 ] sample, respondents who were not born in the US were more likely than those born in the US to report having been taken to a therapist or religious leader by their parents to change their SO. Hypothesizing the role of more conservative values, Flores et al [ 16 ] found lower support for banning conversion therapy among US racial and cultural minority groups. This conclusion supports the finding that ethnic minority parents report greater levels of homonegativity than ethnic majority parents [ 17 ].…”

Sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression: From current state to solutions for the support of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning patients and colleagues

“…5 At present, those in the medical field have become more accepting of LGBTQ patients, advocating for equity and justice in patient care, with discrimination debated on a societal level, as evidenced by the federal government rescinding antidiscrimination protections for transgender Americans and the continued practice of conversion therapy for LGBTQ youth in a number of states. 6,7 It is important to recognize that discrimination against LGBTQ individuals is still occurring in the medical field, often systemically and without intention, and remains a major barrier to these patients seeking medical care. 8 Diversity, equity, and inclusion work in healthcare will benefit, not only patients, but also providers, fostering differences in ideas and further collaboration and growth.…”