Survey shows gays ‘ignorant’ of basic rights issues

[MrMidwest]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 2:01pm

Survey shows gays ‘ignorant’ of basic rights issues
Majority of respondents flunk test on U.S. laws
By JOSHUA LYNSEN, Washington Blade | May 1, 3:57 PM

Few gay Americans understand their basic rights, according to an analysis released this week.

Based on the responses of 768 gays, lesbians and bisexuals to a national poll given in November, the analysis found that most respondents could not correctly answer four questions regarding their state and federal rights.

“I think ‘ignorant’ is the right word, unfortunately,” said Pat Egan, an assistant professor of politics at New York University who is gay and helped write the analysis.

The poll by City University of New York’s Hunter College asked whether same-sex marriages were legal in the respondent’s state, if the U.S. Constitution bans same-sex marriage, whether gays can serve openly in the U.S. military and if there’s a federal law barring the firing of workers based on their sexual orientation.

Egan said only 38 percent of poll respondents answered all four questions correctly.

http://www.sovo.com/thelatest/thelatest.cfm?blog_id=18057

[lildogs]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 3:33pm

And yet we all know which stall is the only one that locks at Splash.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 4:07pm

I wish this surprised me.

Updated On: 5/12/08 at 04:07 PM

[lildogs]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 4:09pm

I don't really think this is exclusive to the 'mo community.

[DayDreamer]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 4:11pm

That was going to be me point, 'lil. How does this compare to the general public?

[Parks]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 4:37pm

Straight people know everything.

...and which stall is that at Splash?

[RetroBoy]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 4:47pm

this is because all gay people care about is going to the gym, club hopping, getting laid, theater, turner classic movies and looking fierce. these are a gay's basic rights. everything else is irrelevant and unimportant.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 4:48pm

you left out Lifetime, TV for Women.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 4:50pm

I wonder if these gays polled were any less ignorant on matters that were less limited to the gay community. I'm going to assume not. Most Americans, gay or straight, don't really pay much attention to anything that's not directly in front of them.

[RetroBoy]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 4:50pm

oh damn..you're right but i was looking at myself in the mirror and typing at the same time. damned multi-tasking!!!

[nitwit]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 4:52pm

the guy in MrMidwest's avatar is SMOKIN'!!!

[lildogs]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 4:53pm

"Most Americans, gay or straight, don't really pay much attention to anything that's not directly in front of them."

And some of us don't even notice anything unless it's behind us.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 5:14pm

I have a sneaky suspicion the polling took place next to the drag karaoke sign-in sheet. People filled out as much as they could between repeat performances of "Happy Days are Here Again".

[lildogs]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 5:21pm

True Matt...nobody seems to do "I Need A Man" anymore.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 5:49pm

At least the "Man! I Feel Like a Woman" fad has passed.

[osage08]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 10:33pm

nitwit-If you go for chest hair... somebody get that man some nair!

Retroboy- If gay people only think about "going to the gym, club hopping, getting laid, theater, turner classic movies and looking fierce" then what do straight people think about?

men- Beer,sex,the remote control and porno on demand

women- clothes, complaining,diet soda, complaining, bathroom scales, complaining about bathroom scales and money?

Sounds right...