People supporting open businesses at the Supreme Court | Photo: Facebook/ACLU
A majority of Americans believe that businesses shouldn’t refuse service to LGBTI people due to religious beliefs.
Reuters/Ipsos released an opinion poll the same day that the US Supreme Court handed down their Masterpiece Cakeshop decision.
They conducted the poll from Friday to Monday among 772 American adults. It also had a credibility interval, ‘a measure of the poll’s precision,’ of 4 percentage points.
Ultimately, 72% of those polled believe ‘business owners, because of their religious beliefs, should not be allowed to refuse to serve customers based on sexual orientation’.
Another 14% believe business owners do have that right. 9% said they only have the right in ‘certain circumstances’. A final 6% said they don’t know.
The poll also asked a more general question about businesses refusing service.
57% respondents said owners ‘never have the right to deny services to customers,’ even due to religious beliefs. 19% said they ‘always have the right’ and 24% said they have the right in ‘some instances’.
An evoluton of sentiments
The positive polling for the rights of LGBTI people reflect other surveys regarding the community in the US.
Recent Gallup polls show that more Americans than ever believe in and support marriage equality.
More Gallup data reveals more American adults than ever also identify as LGBT.
It all shows a growing trend of acceptance and in some cases embracing the community.
The US Supreme Court failed LGBTI Americans and they could have done more
