Four-in-Ten Americans Have Close Friends or Relatives Who are Gay
Survey finds Familiarity Is Closely Linked to Greater Tolerance
by Shawn Neidorf , Research Associate Pew Research Center for the People & the Press and Rich Morin, Senior Editor, Pew Research Center
In the past four decades, growing numbers of gays have come out of the closet and into the mainstream of American life. As a consequence, 4-in-10 Americans now report that some of their close friends or family members are gays or lesbians.