Fairness Survey Shows Shifting Attitudes In Kentucky

According to a new survey, most Kentuckians support protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender citizens.The Fairness Coalition has released the results of the first survey on the topic in six years. (PDF of the results) The poll, which the coalition commissioned, shows majority support for protections from discrimination in housing and employment and the extension of hospital visitation rights to LGBT partners.That support has increased since the last such survey. Fairness Campaign Director Chris Hartman says that may be related to the rise in responders who say they know LGBT individuals."As more people find that they have friends and family members that are LGBT, certainly their opinions will continue to morph into a more positive attitude," he says.Hartman says the study also shows a disconnect between public opinion and the law. Only Louisville, Lexington and Covington have fairness laws on the books. And Hartman says the campaign and the Fairness Coalition are pushing other cities and the General Assembly to pass similar legislation."We hope that they will both feed into each other, that the efforts on the statewide level will increase the efforts locally, and then as more local communities pass laws, the state legislature will eventually tip in favor," he says.Hartman says he thinks there's still time in the current legislative session to pass anti-discrimination laws, but the push will continue into next year if necessary."We will begin sharing the survey results with lawmakers, as we do with everyone across the state this next week as we launch a paid advertising campaign advertising this survey's findings," he says.