Stats speaking

This past weekend, President Obama gave a speech to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender lobbying group and political action committee in the United States. While some critics viewed the speech as nothing more than recycled campaign promises, the HRC praised Obama and deemed him as their “strongest ally in this fight.” Here are some statistics about gay rights:

Percentage of Americans between the ages of 18 and 29 who consider homosexuality acceptable: 62

Percentage of Americans in 2006 who considered homosexuality acceptable: 54

Number of Americans under age 20 who identify as lesbian or gay: 7.2 million

Year the United Church of Christ became the first Christian denomination to ordain an openly gay candidate: 1972

Sources: www.pflagupstatesc.org/statistics.htm, www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/10/10/obama.gay.rights/, filipspagnoli.wordpress.com/stats-on-human-rights/statistics-on-discrimination/, thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/11/sunday-word-big-gay-march/