In Kentucky, 83% support protections from discrimination for gays, transgenders

Yes, Kentucky.

83% of the fellow citizens of Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and teabagger Rand Paul think gay and transgender people should be afforded basic protections from discrimination. Via Kentucky Fairness Alliance, :

83% of registered Kentucky voters agree that gay and transgender people should be protected from discrimination in the workplace, in housing, and in restaurants or other forms of public accommodations.

Public opinion has come a long way since the last available data in 2004, when only 65% of voters supported these same non-discrimination protections. And while providing the same legal protections for gay couples as straight couples lags in the polls – currently 70% support compared to 63% in 2004 – Kentuckians believe in fairness for hardworking gay and transgender employees who simply want to earn a living and provide for their families, just like everybody else.

That's quite a change. More from the Lexington Herald-Leader:

Some 83 percent of Kentuckians believe gay people should be protected from discrimination in the workplace, in housing and public places such as restaurants, according to a survey released Monday by the statewide Fairness Coalition. That is an increase of 18 percentage points since 2004, when a similar survey was conducted.

"I think the numbers will shock people across the state," said Chris Hartman, director of the Fairness Campaign, one of five groups that are part of the umbrella coalition that works for equality for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Kentuckians.

Hartman said he was astounded at the level of tolerance reflected in the answers to 10 questions in the survey.

"I believed the numbers were going to be good, but with all of them hitting the 80s or sometimes 90s (percent), that was surprising," he said.

A welcome surprise indeed. The people of Kentucky are far more tolerant than their leaders.

Now, let's see if McConnell and Paul do what their constituents want by co-sponsoring ENDA and getting it passed. (I know, as if....)

Thanks to Craig Cammack for sending the links.