Americans Split Over Religious Liberty

A new Pew Research Center survey reveals that Americans are more divided over gay marriage and transgender bathroom issues than once thought.

The report shows that while two-thirds of Americans believe businesses should be required to provide birth control despite religious objections, they are not so sure about two other issues. 

"Americans are more closely divided on two other hotly debated questions: whether businesses should be able to refuse service to same-sex couples, and whether trans-gender people should be required to use particular restrooms." the Pew report says. 

Americans virtually split evenly on these issues. 

- 49% say businesses that provide wedding services should be required to provide these services to same-sex couples despite opposing religious convictions.

- 51% say transgender people should be allowed to use public restrooms according to the gender of their choice.

- 46% say transgender people should be required to use bathrooms corresponding to their biological sex. 

There is a noticeable correlation between religious values and how Americans view these issues. Most white evangelicals believe wedding businesses can cite their religious beliefs for declining service to same-sex couples. Most evangelicals also believe trans-gender people must use bathrooms according to their biological sex. 

Meanwhile, atheists and agnostics take the opposite stance.

There is also a sharp partisan divide on these questions. 

Two-thirds of Democrats say businesses should be required to serve same-sex couples and that transgender people should be allowed to use public restrooms of their choice. 

Sixty-seven percent of Republicans believe business owners can cite religous beliefs for refusing these services. 

The study shows that while for some it seems there has been a cultural shift that embraces LGBT issues and forsakes religious liberty, the American public tells a much more complicated and divided story.