Today, GLAAD released the findings from its fourth annual Accelerating Acceptance report, a national survey among more than 2,100 U.S. adults conducted on GLAAD’s behalf by The Harris Poll. Accelerating Acceptance measures American attitudes toward LGBTQ people and issues. The Harris Poll was conducted online November 16-20, 2017 among a total of 2,160 US adults. 1,897 are classified as non-LGBTQ adults.

For the first time, the 2018 Accelerating Acceptance report found a decrease in acceptance of LGBTQ people. As in previous years, this year’s report examines issues such as comfort levels around LGBTQ individuals, reports of LGBTQ discrimination, and support for equal rights. 

“In the past year, there has been a swift and alarming erosion of acceptance which can only be fought by being visible and vocal,” said GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis. “This report puts numbers to the bias that too many LGBTQ Americans have recently experienced. GLAAD is fighting the rollback by enlisting philanthropic leaders like the Ariadne Getty Foundation and global changemakers attending the World Economic Forum to use their platforms and move our community forward.” 

Key takeaways from the report include:

• Less than half of non-LGBTQ adults (49 percent) reported being “very” or “somewhat” comfortable with LGBTQ people across seven situations. This is a significant decline from 53 percent from the previous year and the first time the Accelerating Acceptance report has shown a drop in acceptance for LGBTQ people.
• GLAAD and The Harris Poll found that 55 percent of LGBTQ adults reported experiencing discrimination because of sexual orientation or gender identity. This number is a significant 11 percentage point increase from the previous year (44 percent).
• There was a decline in non-LGBTQ adults’ comfortability around LGBTQ people, particularly in more personal situations. Compared to last year’s results, significantly more respondents noted that they would be uncomfortable learning a family member is LBGTQ (30 percent vs. 27 percent), having their child’s teacher be LGBTQ (31 percent vs. 28 percent), and learning their doctor is LGBTQ (31 percent vs. 28 percent).

“An unseen casualty of a tumultuous year has been the LGBTQ community,” said John Gerzema, CEO of The Harris Poll. “In a single year, we’ve seen significant declines from what had been an increasingly accepting America to one now less supportive. And this lost ground of acceptance cuts across many in American society”.

To combat the rising threats to LGBTQ acceptance, GLAAD today launched the GLAAD Media Institute, a groundbreaking new training, consulting, and research venture that builds upon and furthers GLAAD’s successful legacy of leveraging media, business and cultural institutions to effect positive change with advocates around the world.

The Ariadne Getty Foundation is a founding partner of the GLAAD Media Institute and announced a $15 million pledge to build the Institute as well as advance GLAAD’s work to invest in LGBTQ ventures, including media and small businesses, that have social impact worldwide.

“The time is now for world leaders and all of us to stand by marginalized communities and promote equality and diversity,” said Ari Getty, President of the Ariadne Getty Foundation and current member of GLAAD’s Board of Directors. “GLAAD has always been the leader in creating a better world for LGBTQ people. This lead gift will not only ensure that work continues, but will hopefully inspire others to join us in our pursuit of 100 percent acceptance.”

Check out the full 2018 Accelerating Acceptance report at [LINK].