A new poll finds that a large majority of American voters, 71%, say they are concerned, upset, and/or angry by efforts to expose children to the transgender movement via things like drag queen shows, school curricula, and social media. This was one of the findings in the poll from Summit Ministries and McLaughlin & Associates.
About 41% of the 917 surveyed voters reported being very concerned and angry about such efforts, while around 30% said they were somewhat concerned and upset by the exposure, the poll found.
Founded in 1962, Summit Ministries is a Christian organization.
"From TV to TikTok, to drag shows and trans curriculum in schools, our children and grandchildren are being bombarded daily with the transgender ideology. But it doesn't stop there – doctors are now routinely prescribing powerful drugs to kids as puberty blockers without FDA approval for such use. This polling shows that the American public is rightfully concerned, angry, and want accountability for this targeting of kids," said Dr. Jeff Myers, President of Summit.org and co-author of the new eBook, "Exposing the Gender Lie: How to Protect Children and Teens from the Transgender Industry's False Ideology."
"In our new book we show that the intentional targeting of children with transgender messaging results in serious psychological and physical harm."
In Summit's poll, 71% believed that pharmaceutical companies and doctors who promote puberty blockers and cross-sex hormone treatments for underage children seeking gender transition should be legally liable for any harmful side effects that arise.
Meanwhile, 29% of voters said they were not concerned about kids' exposure to drag shows or trans-friendly curricula, and the same percentage also said doctors should not be liable for promoting puberty blockers and cross-hormone treatments for underage children seeking gender transition.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has urged teachers to be transgender activists by encouraging them to participate in Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) clubs and using trans-inclusive language, Summit points out.
The Florida Board of Medicine voted in October to prohibit hormone therapy for children under 18, while Tennessee has banned such treatments for prepubescent children, according to Forbes. Laws passed in Texas, Alabama, and Arkansas to restrict transgender hormone use for minors have been met with federal legal challenges.
A leading transgender health association has lowered its recommended minimum age for starting gender transition treatment, including sex hormones and surgeries, according to the Associated Press.
The World Professional Association for Transgender Health said hormones could be started at age 14, two years earlier than the group's previous advice, and some surgeries done at age 15 or 17, a year or so earlier than previous guidance. The group acknowledged potential risks but said it is unethical and harmful to withhold early treatment.
The update is based on expert opinion and a review of scientific evidence on the benefits and harms of transgender medical treatment in teens whose gender identity doesn't match the sex they were assigned at birth, the group said. Such evidence is limited but has grown in the last decade, the group said, with studies suggesting the treatments can improve psychological well-being and reduce suicidal behavior.
The Summit survey is of 1,000 likely general election voters nationwide and was conducted Feb. 17 through 22.
The poll had a 3.1% margin of error.
All interviews were conducted online. Survey invitations were distributed randomly within predetermined geographic units. These units were structured to correlate with actual voter turnout in the general election.
McLaughlin & Associates is a full service, nationally recognized market research and strategic services firm that specializes in public opinion research, media planning and buying services, and strategic consulting services.