Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management

The recent expansion of the rights of LGBT individuals across the US, the growing visibility of LGBT individuals, along with the Obergefell v. Hodges Supreme Court ruling has created a backlash in many communities against the LGBT community. This policy backlash has been reflected in religious rights restoration acts that provide a religious basis for discriminatory behavior. This backlash has recently been furthered by even more restrictive policy, reflected in North Carolina’s HB2 act that eliminates the power of localities to provide more inclusive environments to the LGBT community. These policies are largely politically motivated, but rhetoric around these policies focus on the safety of women. The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between gender and attitudes toward exclusion and discriminatory policies. Since these policies are connected to women’s safety in much of the rhetoric, is it reasonable to assume that women will hold the same or even more discriminatory attitudes than men. Alternatively, since most women have experienced some level of discrimination in their lives they may be less supportive of these restrictive policies that limit the rights of those in the LGBT community. Utilizing US individual level survey data this study will evaluate whether there are gender differences regarding attitudes toward restrictive LGBT policy.