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Majority of Americans Support New LGBTQ Civil Rights Laws

The poll comes a month after the House passed the Equality Act, blocked by Republicans in the Senate and opposed by Trump.

A slim majority of Americans support new civil rights laws protecting the LGBTQ community, according to a new Gallup poll.

53% of those surveyed said they believe such legislation is needed to ensure LGBTQ people are not discriminated against in areas such as employment, housing, and public accommodations. 46% said such laws were not needed, and 1% had no opinion.

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 17: Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA) (C) welcomes Rep. Chris Pappas (D-NH) to the lectern during a rally and news conference with Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI) (R) and leaders from LGBTQ advocacy organizations before the House votes on the Equality Act May 17, 2019 in Washington, DC. The openly gay politicians and their supporters called on the Republican-controlled Senate to pass the Equality Act, which would modify existing civil rights law to extend anti-discrimination protections to LGBT Americans in employment, education, credit, jury service, federal funding, housing and public accommodations. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Rep. Mark Takano shakes Rep. Chris Pappas' hand during a rally for the Equality Act.

The poll comes a month after the House passed the Equality Act, which would add protections on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity to existing civil rights law. The bill was passed two days into Gallup's May 15-30 polling on the question.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has so far refused to bring the bill up for a vote, and it appears he will continue to do so, bragging about obstructing legislation by calling himself "the grim reaper." Trump has also said he is against the bill.

Only 27% of Republicans said they support new LGBTQ protections, which is unchanged from when Gallup asked in 2017. Support from Democrats has risen to 74%, up from 67% two years ago. Support among independents remained nearly unchanged, dropping one percentage point, to 55% from 56% in 2017.

On the specific issue of supporting LGBTQ people having equal employment opportunities, 93% said they were in favor of such efforts in a separate question.

55% of people asked also said they felt gay people were accepted by most Americans, with 41% saying they felt gay people were not accepted. When Gallup asked that question in 2001, only 21% said they felt gay people were accepted.

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