Majority of Americans believe bathroom use should be linked to biological gender

A new poll has found that a majority of Americans believe that people should use public bathrooms and showers that correspond with their biological gender.

According to the newly released Crux/Marist poll, 66 percent of Americans do not agree that "someone who is transitioning to become the opposite sex" should be able to use whichever showers or locker rooms they want. Fifty-six percent of Americans had the same opinion when it comes to bathrooms.

In contrast, 27 percent agreed that people should be able to use showers or locker rooms they prefer. Thirty-eight percent said the same about bathroom use.

On the subject of sex change surgeries, eight out of 10 Americans believe that doctors and other healthcare professionals should not be forced to participate in operations intended to change someone's sex if they disagree with such procedures on religious grounds. Less than two out of 10 respondents disagreed.

Sixty-two percent of the respondents believe that employers should be legally allowed to opt out of covering sex change procedures on the basis of freedom of religion. Thirty-two percent believe the opposite.

As many as 74 percent of Americans believe that the laws can protect both transgender and religious rights. Only 18 percent believe that the laws have to choose to protect either of the two.

The poll was conducted through telephone interviews with 545 adult respondents on Dec. 12 to 13 last year.

The release of the study came after President Donald Trump's administration rescinded a guidance to public schools that allows transgender students to use bathrooms of their choice. Trump argued that states and public schools should be able to make their own decisions about bathroom policies without federal interference.

A Marist poll commissioned by WGBH-Boston in May last year indicated that Americans were evenly divided on the issue of bathroom choice.

Forty-four percent said that transgender people should be required to use bathrooms that correspond with their birth gender, while 43 percent said that individuals should be allowed to choose restrooms according to their gender identity.

The WGBH-Boston/Marist poll also revealed that six out of 10 Americans agree that male and female public bathrooms should be separate. Only 31 percent support gender-neutral bathrooms.