Gallup poll: Gender identity a dividing issue in U.S.

June 11 (UPI) -- A new Gallup Poll has found that while very few Americans identify as transgender, most have an opinion on the issue.

In the survey, done via a random telephone sampling of 1,016 Americans over age 18, most respondents identified transgenderism as "morally wrong."

A minute 0.6% of Americans identify as transgender.

Of those polled, 51% said transgenderism is morally wrong; 46% said it is "morally acceptable."

"The new addition to the list, changing one's gender, is nearly as divisive as abortion, which has typically been the most contentious issue," Gallup said Friday in a press release announcing the results.

In comparison, 47% of respondents said abortion is wrong, while 46% said they found the procedure acceptable.

The yearly poll was conducted May 3-18.

Respondents were asked questions on 20 moral issues. Gallup recorded responses and provided breakdowns by age, gender and political beliefs.

This marked the first year Gallup asked about transgenderism.

"Generally speaking, Americans' attitudes have become more morally permissive on most of these issues over the past two decades," Gallup said in the release.

The breakdown of opinions on transgenderism was varied among identity groups.

Women and those under age 49 were more likely to find transgenderism acceptable. Those 65 and older were more likely to express moral qualms about it.

Transgenderism found least favorability among conservatives, with 76% of those identifying as conservative casting transgenderism as wrong. Those identifying as liberal responded with moral favorably 78% of the time.

The majority -- 69% -- responded that gay and lesbian relations are morally acceptable. It was the fourth most favorably viewed moral issue after birth control, divorce and sex outside marriage.

The issues deemed least acceptable include adultery, cloning humans and animals and suicide.