A new Harris poll shows that even the majority of heterosexual Americans believe that job performance is what is important, not sexual orientation or gender identity. The pdf of the press release and report is here.
The 2011 Out and Equal in the Workplace Survey reveals that 74% of heterosexuals somewhat agree (9%) or strongly agree (65%) that employees should be judged on how well they do their job rather than their sexual orientation. 54% either strongly agree (38%) or somewhat agree (16%) to the same statement with regards to gender identity. For sexual orientation 4% disagree, 7% neither agree nor disagree and 16% believe the question to be not applicable or declined to answer. For gender identity 11% disagree 21% neither agree nor disagree and 14% believed the question not applicable or declined to answer it.
That might not sound as good for transpeople, but wait. When transgender was defined before asking how one stood, the numbers rose from the numbers for “gender identity,” a concept which those surveyed may have found nebulous. 74% of heterosexuals, 92% of gays and lesbians and 91% of GLBT people agreed with the following statement:
How an employee performs at their job should be the standard for judging an employee, not whether or not they are transgender.
5% of heterosexuals (3% of gays and lesbians and 2% of GLBT people) disagreed with the statement. 11% of heterosexuals (3% of G/L, 5% of GLBT) neither agreed nor disagreed. The remainder either thought the statement not applicable or declined to answer.
I’m at a total loss as to what “not applicable” means here. Would that be people who do not believe in the existence of transpeople or what?