© Reuters / Jeenah Moon
The number of Americans in the 18-to-34 bracket who are comfortable interacting with LGBTQ people fell from 53% in 2017 to 45% in 2018, according to the annual Accelerating Acceptance report. That figure is down from 63% in 2016.
The findings raise serious questions about the common conception that young people are more progressive and tolerant than older generations, John Gerzema, CEO of The Harris Poll, which conducted the study on behalf of LGBTQ advocacy group GLAAD, said.
"These numbers are very alarming and signal a looming social crisis in discrimination."
LGTBQ activist Brandon Straka took a different view, however, accusing an "extremist, progressive faction" within the gay community of alienating people.
"Our community has been overtaken by a very sort of extremist, very political faction that has tried to essentially politicize everything under the umbrella of LGBT," Straka told RT.
The study's provocative findings come at the end of Pride Month, during which the LGBTQ community holds parades and other events.
Comment: Just as a minority of LGBTQ people have pushed things too far into the realm of "anything goes", now there will be blowback by a conservative minority that will be EQUALLY overdone and overly moralistic, resulting in the exact opposite of what everyone actually wants (peace and quiet). In other words, we already have equality, because everyone is equally nuts and equally incapable of thinking in anything other than black or white terms.