Poll: Public supports letting transgender troops serve openly, 49/34

Americans are more accepting of gays and lesbians serving openly in the military than they are of transgender people doing so. While the public favors transgender service 49% to 34%, they support gays and lesbians in the military serving openly by more than two to one. Republicans again are the exception: they oppose gays and lesbians serving openly 49% to 38%. But only a third of Republicans think having gays and lesbians in the military affects readiness for the worse, significantly lower than the 48% who say this about transgender people.

One of the differences between Republicans and others when it comes to transgender troops is that most – more than Democrats or Independents — say they don’t know anyone who is transgender. 15% of Republicans say they know someone who is transgender, 11 points fewer than the percentage of Independents and 15 points fewer than the percentage of Democrats who do. Those who know someone who is transgender are much more likely to favor allowing them to serve openly.