{"id":7975,"date":"2023-06-14T14:57:05","date_gmt":"2023-06-14T19:57:05","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2025-04-18T12:18:46","modified_gmt":"2025-04-18T16:18:46","slug":"freedom-of-speech-and-lgbt-rights-americans-views-of-issues-in-supreme-court-case","status":"publish","type":"short-read","link":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/2023\/06\/14\/freedom-of-speech-and-lgbt-rights-americans-views-of-issues-in-supreme-court-case\/","title":{"rendered":"Freedom of speech and LGBT rights: Americans\u2019 views of issues in Supreme Court case"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-640-wide\"><a rel=\"attachment wp-att-9912\" href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/2023\/06\/14\/freedom-of-speech-and-lgbt-rights-americans-views-of-issues-in-supreme-court-case\/sr_23-06-13_lgbtbusiness_feature-jpg\/\"><img data-dominant-color=\"5e6e75\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #5e6e75;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/06\/SR_23.06.13_LGBTBusiness_feature-jpg.webp?resize=480,270 480w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/06\/SR_23.06.13_LGBTBusiness_feature-jpg.webp?resize=782,440 782w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/06\/SR_23.06.13_LGBTBusiness_feature-jpg.webp?resize=960,540 960w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/06\/SR_23.06.13_LGBTBusiness_feature-jpg.webp?resize=1200,675 1200w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/06\/SR_23.06.13_LGBTBusiness_feature-jpg.webp?resize=1280,720 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 480px, (max-width: 782px) 782px, 640px\" height=\"360\" width=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/06\/SR_23.06.13_LGBTBusiness_feature-jpg.webp?w=640\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9912 not-transparent\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Supporters of Colorado web designer Lorie Smith and counterprotesters demonstrate at the U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 5, 2022. (Anna Moneymaker\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A majority of Americans think business owners should be able to refuse to provide services in situations where providing them may \u201csuggest support for beliefs about lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) issues\u201d to which they have personal or religious objections, according to a new Pew Research Center survey.<\/p>\n\n\n<div style=\"border-width:1px;padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);--block-gap: inherit\" class=\"wp-block-prc-block-collapsible has-background has-ui-beige-very-light-background-color has-border-color has-ui-beige-dark-border-color\" id=\"how-we-did-this\" data-wp-interactive=\"{&quot;namespace&quot;:&quot;prc-block\\\/collapsible&quot;}\" data-wp-context=\"{&quot;collapsibleId&quot;:&quot;how-we-did-this&quot;,&quot;isOpen&quot;:false}\" data-wp-class--is-open=\"context.isOpen\" data-wp-init--scroll-into-view=\"callbacks.onInitScrollIntoView\"><div class=\"wp-block-prc-block-collapsible__title\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.onClick\"><div>How we did this<\/div><button class=\"wp-block-prc-block-collapsible__icon\"><span data-wp-bind--hidden=\"context.isOpen\"><i class=\"icon icon-library__light icon__circle-plus\"><svg style=\"width: 1em; height: 1em;\"><use xlink:href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/plugins\/prc-icon-library\/build\/icons\/sprites\/light.svg#circle-plus\"><\/use><\/svg><\/i><\/span><span data-wp-bind--hidden=\"!context.isOpen\" hidden><i class=\"icon icon-library__light icon__circle-minus\"><svg style=\"width: 1em; height: 1em;\"><use xlink:href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/plugins\/prc-icon-library\/build\/icons\/sprites\/light.svg#circle-minus\"><\/use><\/svg><\/i><\/span><\/button><\/div><div class=\"wp-block-prc-block-collapsible__content\">\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pew Research Center conducted this analysis to provide insight into Americans\u2019 views about a prominent issue currently before the U.S. Supreme Court. We surveyed 5,079 adults from March 27 to April 2, 2023. Everyone who took part in this survey is a member of the Center\u2019s American Trends Panel (ATP), an online survey panel that is recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses. This way nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other categories. <a href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/our-methods\/u-s-surveys\/the-american-trends-panel\/\">Read more about the ATP\u2019s methodology<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here are <a href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/sr_2023.06.07_LGBT.freedom_topline.pdf\">the questions used<\/a> for the report, along with responses, and <a href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/sr_2023.05.25_important_methodology.pdf\">its methodology<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In earlier surveys, the public has expressed positive views of the impact of <a href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/2022\/11\/15\/about-six-in-ten-americans-say-legalization-of-same-sex-marriage-is-good-for-society\/\">legalization of same-sex marriage<\/a> and broad support for <a href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/social-trends\/2022\/06\/28\/americans-complex-views-on-gender-identity-and-transgender-issues\/\">policies aimed at preventing discrimination against transgender Americans.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-310-wide\"><a rel=\"attachment wp-att-9903\" href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/2023\/06\/14\/freedom-of-speech-and-lgbt-rights-americans-views-of-issues-in-supreme-court-case\/sr_2023-06-07_lgbt-freedom_1-png\/\"><img data-dominant-color=\"e9e7e2\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #e9e7e2;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/06\/sr_2023.06.07_LGBT.freedom_1.png?resize=480,712 480w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/06\/sr_2023.06.07_LGBT.freedom_1.png?resize=620,920 620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 480px, (max-width: 782px) 782px, 640px\" height=\"460\" width=\"310\" src=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/06\/sr_2023.06.07_LGBT.freedom_1.png?w=310\" alt=\"A bar chart showing that 60% of Americans say business owners shouldn\u2019t have to provide services if it may conflict with their LGBT beliefs.\" class=\"wp-image-9903 not-transparent\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But in a question reflecting the arguments in a pending Supreme Court case, 60% of Americans think business owners should not have to provide services if it might signal support for beliefs on LGBT issues that they oppose, according to the survey conducted in early April. Around four-in-ten (38%) say business owners <em>should<\/em> be required to provide services in these situations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Supreme Court case centers on a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scotusblog.com\/2022\/12\/conservative-justices-seem-poised-to-side-with-web-designer-who-opposes-same-sex-marriage\/\">challenge to Colorado\u2019s public accommodations law<\/a> by website designer Lorie Smith, who says the law violates her right to freedom of speech by requiring her to design wedding websites for same-sex couples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The oral arguments in the case highlighted the competing rights at issue. Smith\u2019s attorney said her client\u2019s complaint is based on the message being conveyed by her work, not the customers who may be affected. However, Colorado\u2019s solicitor general said that by ruling in favor of Smith, the court would undermine the state\u2019s accommodations law and open the door to discrimination because of a person\u2019s race or religion, in addition to their sexual or gender identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The survey question does not ask whether business owners should have the right to discriminate against lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender people. Rather, it asks whether business owners who object to providing services that could suggest beliefs on LGBT issues \u2013 such as a \u201cdesigner of wedding websites who has objections to same-sex marriage\u201d \u2013 should be required to provide these services or be able to refuse to do so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"views-by-party-religion\">Views by party, religion<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-420-wide\"><a rel=\"attachment wp-att-9907\" href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/2023\/06\/14\/freedom-of-speech-and-lgbt-rights-americans-views-of-issues-in-supreme-court-case\/sr_2023-06-07_lgbt-freedom_2-png\/\"><img data-dominant-color=\"e9e7e0\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #e9e7e0;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/06\/sr_2023.06.07_LGBT.freedom_2.png?resize=480,570 480w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/06\/sr_2023.06.07_LGBT.freedom_2.png?resize=782,929 782w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/06\/sr_2023.06.07_LGBT.freedom_2.png?resize=840,998 840w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 480px, (max-width: 782px) 782px, 640px\" height=\"499\" width=\"420\" src=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2023\/06\/sr_2023.06.07_LGBT.freedom_2.png?w=420\" alt=\"A bar chart that shows White evangelical Protestants most likely to say business owners should be able to refuse services that might conflict with their views on LGBT issues.\" class=\"wp-image-9907 not-transparent\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As with opinions on same-sex marriage and transgender issues, there is a wide partisan gap in views of whether business owners should be able to refuse to provide services if it conflicts with their views on LGBT issues. Republican and Republican-leaning independents overwhelmingly side with business owners who object to providing services in these situations (82% vs. 17%). By a smaller margin (59% to 40%), Democrats and Democratic leaners say business owners should have to provide services in these cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Opinions also differ by religious affiliation. For example, while 83% of White evangelical Protestants say business owners should be able to deny services in situations where it could conflict with their beliefs, just half of religiously unaffiliated adults say the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Note: Here are <a href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/sr_2023.06.07_LGBT.freedom_topline.pdf\">the questions used<\/a> for the report, along with responses, and <a href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/sr_2023.05.25_important_methodology.pdf\">its methodology<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>60% of Americans think business owners should not have to provide services if it might signal support for beliefs on LGBT issues that they 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