Have you noticed a trend concerning acceptance of and attitudes toward LGBTQ people in the Catholic Church in the past four years?   Bondings 2.0, New Ways Ministry’s daily blog on Catholic LGBTQ news, opinion, and spirituality, surveyed their readers to help get a snapshot answer to that question. The poll was open from February 8- 15, 2018.    We asked readers to use 2014 as the starting point of comparison to examine if acceptance and attitudes have increased or decreased.   To view the original poll, click here.

Bondings 2.0 readers tend to be a broad spectrum of people in the Catholic Church.  They are spread far and wide from around the nation and across the globe.  Their opinions differ about much of the news that we report here on Catholic LGBTQ issues.  So, while our poll results will not be scientific, we think  they give a good picture of how people concerned about Catholic LGBTQ issues think about how acceptance is or is not progressing.

1. Do you think that overall acceptance of LGBTQ people in the Catholic Church has

Increased		24%
Decreased		8%
Stayed the same		5%
I can’t determine		4%
Other
	Increased in the laity; decreased in the hierarchy		19%
	Very uneven. Reaction to Fr. Martin’s book was discouraging		12%
	I think the transgender issue has halted the acceptance.  It is an area the populace is not comfortable with		4%
	I observe among conservatives it is decreased.  Among moderate and progressive Catholics it is increased.  The specifics of transgender, however are cause for uncertainty		8%
	Among moderate and progressive Catholics it is increased		11%
	I think the more important question is”of the many people who have committed suicide due to their gendr identity, do you think that Catholics or Catholic doctrine bears any responsibility for this?”		1%
	It has become political. For progressives and Democrats, acceptance has increased. For conservatives and Republicans, it has decreased. And the conservative voices are very loud. The rules are being used to harm LGBTQ people and conservative Catholics are complicit.		1%
	Non-answers (offensive or nonsensical remarks)		3%

2. Do you think that attitudes of people in the pews of the Catholic Church have

Become MORE accepting of LGBTQ people	61%
Become LESS accepting of LGBTQ people	8%
Stayed about the SAME	18%
I can’t determine	5%
Other
I think we are talking about it more, so I am not sure that we have become more accepting, rather, more people are voicing their opinions against church teaching.	8%

3. Do you think that attitudes of church leaders that you most regularly encounter (pastors, pastoral ministers, school administrators and teachers, other institutional managers, etc.)

Become MORE accepting of LGBTQ people		35%
Become LESS accepting of LGBTQ people		22%
Stayed about the same		35%
I can’t determine		6%
Other
	Among leadership, as described, in our diocese acceptance would NOT be approved or accepted.		0.7%
	Some of the informed hierarchy are speaking out louder than in the past!		0.7%
	Pastors is still unchanged, but the laity are becoming more accepting or at least vocalizing their previous acceptance.		0.7%

4. Do you think that attitudes of bishops and other members of the hierarchy

Become MORE accepting of LGBTQ people		23%
Become LESS accepting of LGBTQ people		44%
Stayed about the same		23%
I can’t determine		7%
Other
	It is divided		0.7%
	I have been so disappointed by the USCCB; I was in a conference where the group COURAGE was encouraged as a group for those coming to lay and ordained ministers with SSA, when asked why we were not using “LGBT,” the response was “SSA” was more loving and was not condoning the lifestyle of the LGBT lifestyle. A member of the panel was also introduced as a “recovered lesbian;” as a YM who is a member of the LGBT community, I was so disgusted.		0.7%
	Completely depends on the individual member of the hierarchy. Those against have not changed.		0.7%

5. If you think attitudes and acceptance have DECREASED, what criteria have you used to make your evaluations

More frequent insensitive statements from church leaders		21%
Stronger language to critique, denounce, or oppose LGBTQ people and initiatives		14%
Fewer positive statements from church leaders in support of LGBTQ people		14%
More news reports of incidents of church bias and discrimination concerning LGBTQ people		17%
I’ve heard more personal testimony from LGBTQ people reporting their experiences of prejudice and discrimination		7%
Fewer LGBTQ people participating in Catholic activities than in the past		5%
Other
	personal attacks on me even though I am a devout, consecrated, and chaste RC		2%
	Criticism of Father James Martin		12%
	People were just begining to accept gay & lesbian people then “suddenly” everything seemed to be about trans issues which really are a lot more complicated.		2%
	Family and friends have supported DOMA laws.		1%
	Church leaders who are in the LGBT community are afraid to share this area of their lives at the risk of being fired.		4%
	Trans issues are not more complicated. But when our leadership talks about them, it is apparent how ignorant they are. And that saddens me, because it will not get better until they attempt to address this. They do not currently see this as a personal flaw in themselves.		1%

6.If you think attitudes and acceptance have INCREASED, what criteria have you used to make your evaluations

Fewer insensitive statements from church leaders		7%
Softer language when they critique, denounce, or oppose LGBTQ people and initiatives		11%
More positive statements from church leaders in support of LGBTQ people		15%
Fewer news reports of incidents of church bias and discrimination concerning LGBTQ people		4%
I’ve heard more personal testimony from LGBTQ people reporting their experiences of inclusion and equality		7%
More LGBTQ people participating in Catholic activities than in the past		10%
Other
	Less fear among priests and Bishops of old Culture Warriors		5%
	Increased courage and boldness on the part of LGBTQ Catholics and allies in showing up, sharing their full selves, and pushing back against the status quo		9%
	The people in the pews seem to be more outspoken in their acceptance, however I think that people are leaving the church because of the lack of acceptance of LGBTQ people by the church hierarchy.		12%
	Depends on what parish you belong to; what bishop you have.		16%
	I think support is in a holding pattern right now. Movement forward requires stronger/more vocal leadership from LBGT folks within the institutional church.		1%
	Seriously, you people are in need of hobbies.		1%
	Non-answers (offensive or non-sensical remarks)		2%