A new poll conducted by the Washington Post-KFF indicates that the majority of American adults believe gender is determined at birth and object to biological males participating in women’s sports.
The poll examined attitudes toward transgender issues in the United States, with a focus on education and sports.
According to the survey, 57% of American adults think that gender is based on the sex assigned at birth, whereas 43% believe that individuals can change their gender later in life.
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Among 18- to 34-year-olds, 53% believe gender is determined by birth sex, while 47% feel one can change their gender later.
For adults aged 55 to 64, 63% believe that gender is established by the sex assigned at birth.
The poll reveals that Americans widely support anti-discrimination laws protecting transgender people in areas like the military and housing.
However, a significant majority do not approve of biological males competing in women’s sports. At the high school level, 66% of American adults oppose the inclusion of biological males in women’s sports, while 34% support it.
Regarding college and professional sports, 65% of American adults believe biological males should not be allowed to compete in women’s sports, with 34% supporting the idea.
In youth sports, 62% of respondents disapprove of biological males competing against biological girls, while 37% favor allowing transgender girls to participate with biological girls.
The survey also explored attitudes toward gender-affirming counseling and medical interventions for young people.
Sixty-two percent of respondents support gender-affirming counseling or therapy for children aged 10 to 14, but 68% oppose prescribing puberty blockers for this age group.
For transgender teenagers aged 15 to 17, 66% of American adults support gender-affirming counseling or therapy, while 58% still object to the use of puberty blockers.
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The poll touched on the appropriateness of teachers discussing their transgender identities with students.
The vast majority of American adults, a whopping 77%, consider it unsuitable for teachers to discuss this subject with students in kindergarten through third grade.
This number decreases to 70% for fourth and fifth-grade students, and further drops to 52% for middle school students in grades six through eight.
However, 64% of respondents believe it is appropriate for high school teachers to discuss their transgender identities with students, while 36% deem it inappropriate.