Majority of Americans support transgender military service
Sun. July 30, 2017 8:25 AM by Carlos Santoscoy
A majority of Americans say transgender people should be allowed to serve in the U.S. military.
According to a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll of 1,249 adults released on Friday, 58% of respondents agreed with the statement, "Transgender people should be allowed to serve in the military," while 27% disagreed.
The poll was conducted in the wake of President Donald Trump's announcement in a series of tweets on Wednesday that the military will no longer "accept or allow" transgender troops to serve "in any capacity."
(Related: Trump says military will bar transgender troops.)
The following day, the Pentagon clarified that the policy on transgender troops had yet to change.
(Related: Pentagon: No official change has been made on transgender service.)
Democrats (83%) mostly oppose Trump's proposed ban. Republicans are more evenly divided.
Forty-nine percent of Republicans said that transgender Americans should be allowed to serve in the military, while 32 percent remain opposed. Nineteen percent of Republicans said they don't know.
Thirty-two percent of respondents said that such a ban would "hurt morale," while 17 percent said it would "improve morale." Thirty-three percent said it would "have no impact."
A plurality of respondents to the poll (43%) said that prohibiting transgender service members would have "no impact" on military capabilities. Twenty-two percent said such a ban would make the military "less capable," while 14 percent said "more capable."
According to a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll of 1,249 adults released on Friday, 58% of respondents agreed with the statement, "Transgender people should be allowed to serve in the military," while 27% disagreed.
The poll was conducted in the wake of President Donald Trump's announcement in a series of tweets on Wednesday that the military will no longer "accept or allow" transgender troops to serve "in any capacity."
(Related: Trump says military will bar transgender troops.)
The following day, the Pentagon clarified that the policy on transgender troops had yet to change.
(Related: Pentagon: No official change has been made on transgender service.)
Democrats (83%) mostly oppose Trump's proposed ban. Republicans are more evenly divided.
Forty-nine percent of Republicans said that transgender Americans should be allowed to serve in the military, while 32 percent remain opposed. Nineteen percent of Republicans said they don't know.
Thirty-two percent of respondents said that such a ban would "hurt morale," while 17 percent said it would "improve morale." Thirty-three percent said it would "have no impact."
A plurality of respondents to the poll (43%) said that prohibiting transgender service members would have "no impact" on military capabilities. Twenty-two percent said such a ban would make the military "less capable," while 14 percent said "more capable."
Article provided in partnership with On Top Magazine