CBS NEWS POLL

For release: October 20, 2010

6:30 pm (ET)

GAYS AND LESBIANS IN THE MILITARY

October 6-8, 2010

Americans continue to support allowing gays and lesbians to serve in the U.S. military.
Nearly seven in 10 think it should be permitted, while 21% say it should not. In CBS News Polls
conducted earlier this year, similar majorities have favored allowing gays and lesbians to serve.

Gays and Lesbians in the Military

Now 8/2010 2/2010
Favor 69% 75% 70%
Oppose 21 19 19

A smaller majority of Americans - 56% - think gays and lesbians should be allowed to serve openly
in the military, which would nullify the current “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. Support is down a bit
from August, but similar to what it was in February.

Gays and Lesbians Serve Openly in the Military

Now 8/2010 2/2010
Favor 56% 64% 58%
Oppose 31 28 28

Majorities of Democrats (65%) and independents (55%) think gays and lesbians should be
allowed to openly serve in the military, compared to 44% of Republicans. There are gender
differences as well; women are more likely than men to favor allowing gays and lesbians to
serve openly.

Gays and Lesbians Serve Openly in the Military

Reps Dems Inds Men Women
Favor 44% 65% 55% 49% 63%
Oppose 45 27 27 37% 26
_________________________________________________________________________________
This poll was conducted among a random sample of 804 adults nationwide, interviewed by telephone
October 6-8, 2010. Phone numbers were dialed from RDD samples of both standard land-lines and cell
phones. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus four
percentage points. The error for subgroups is higher. This poll release conforms to the Standards of
Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.
CBS News Poll
Gays and Lesbians in the Military
October 6-8, 2010

q24 Do you favor or oppose permitting gay men and lesbians to serve in the military? Do
you favor/oppose that strongly or not so strongly?

** TOTAL RESPONDENTS **
*** Party ID ***
Total Rep Dem Ind Aug10b
% % % % %
Favor strongly 51 33 61 53 54
Favor not so strongly 18 23 16 18 21
Oppose not so strongly 8 9 10 6 10
Oppose strongly 13 26 8 10 9
DK/NA 10 9 5 13 6

q25 What if they openly announce their sexual orientation -- in that case would you favor
or oppose permitting gay men and lesbians to serve in the military?

Favor 56 44 65 55 64
Oppose 31 45 27 27 28
DK/NA 13 11 8 18 8

Sample sizes:

UNWEIGHTED WEIGHTED
Total Respondents 804

Total Republicans 213 203 (25%)

Total Democrats 297 291 (36%)
Total Independents 294 310 (39%)