Worrying proportion of Americans still think being gay is ‘morally wrong’
A protester holds a rainbow flag in support of transgender lives during a demonstration in Times Square, New York City. (John Lamparski/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
A concerning proportion of Americans still think being gay is “morally wrong”, according to new research.
A report by the Pew Research Center found that Americans are far more likely than people in other Western countries to say that being gay is morally unacceptable.
The research surveyed 25 countries in 2025 and asked respondents whether behaviours such as abortion, drinking alcohol and homosexuality were ‘morally acceptable’, ‘morally unacceptable’, or ‘not a moral issue at all’.
Around 39 per cent of Americans said homosexuality was ‘morally wrong’. Comparable proportions were recorded in Israel (47 per cent), Hungary (34 per cent) and Greece (30 per cent).
By contrast, attitudes were far more accepting in Western Europe. In Sweden, Germany, Spain and Netherlands, more than 90 per cent of people said homosexuality was morally acceptable.
The findings follow a survey shared by YouGov in February that showed US adults are split on whether they believe LGBTQ+ discrimination is a serious problem in the country.
A report published in January revealed that Pride month in 2025 was one of the most dangerous for LGBTQ+ Americans in history.
LGBTQ+ rights group GLAAD reported a staggering 268 anti-LGBTQ+ incidents across the country in June 2025 alone – a nearly 400 per cent increase compared to the last few years.
Sarah Kate Ellis, GLAAD’s president and CEO, accused politicians from across the political spectrum of fuelling these incidents through their policies and rhetoric.
“Instead of growing divides that lead to this violence, politicians should recognise that all Americans deserve freedom, fairness, and safety,” she said.
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