Public Says Transgender People Are Morally Acceptable

 (This image of Caitlyn Jenner is from the cover of Vanity Fair.)

Thanks to the transformation of Bruce Jenner into Caitlyn Jenner, the mainstream media and social internet sites have been full of stories regarding transgender people. Perhaps the most vocal are the religious right -- who loudly proclaim being transgender is immoral (and surely means the end of this country if accepted). Fortunately, most Americans are not as ridiculous and close-minded.

The charts below are from a new YouGov Poll -- done between June 1st and 3rd of a random national sample of adults, with a 4.1 point margin of error. Frankly, it makes me rather proud of my fellow citizens, because it shows that only a tiny minority see being transgender as morally wrong. A substantial majority either see it as morally acceptable, or as not a moral issue at all (but an individual issue).

I agree. It is silly for any of us to worry about the sexual identity of another person. Sexual identity (and sexual preference) are issues that each person must deal with individually. All we can do is support those individuals in whatever they know is right for them.

We used to keep our nose out of other people's lives, as long as they weren't actually hurting other people. It's about time we return to that. It's fine to have a religious or moral belief -- but it's wrong to try to force that belief on other people.