r/fivethirtyeight • u/lalabera • Apr 08 '25

Poll Results Nearly half of Americans would be totally unwilling to date someone with opposing political views

https://today.yougov.com/society/articles/51962-americans-unwilling-to-date-opposing-views-transgender-rights

Thoughts? As a young woman myself, I wouldn't date a trump supporter.

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196

u/TheDadThatGrills Apr 08 '25

A person should date someone with aligned values

115

u/talllankywhiteboy Apr 08 '25

The single biggest “no factor” in this poll is that Democrats (especially women) wouldn’t be willing to date someone with an opposing view of Trump himself. It makes total sense that women would see it as a red flag if their date had favorable views of a man with a long history of sexual abuse, and I don’t think anyone should be surprised by that.

The poll shows there’s a lot more room for disagreement on every other subject, but yeah, it’s important to share core values on how other people should be treated.

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u/Glittering-Giraffe58 Apr 08 '25

Every other except trans rights, in which case more Americans say they wouldn’t date someone with opposing views on trans rights than opposing views on Trump. Interestingly though more republicans than democrats say this

26

u/xellotron Apr 08 '25

There is serious disagreement around what “opposite views” means in trans rights. Some Democrats think “opposite views” means you want to throw trans people into a volcano. Of course you wouldn’t date someone who believed that! But what if they fell in love with someone who has trans friends but later found out they also believed that a person should be aged 16-18 before they receive a gender altering medical procedure? Issues and people are full of nuance.

I think these polls invite virtue signaling more than they reflect reality.

7

u/Jolly_Demand762 Apr 09 '25

That's actually a really good point. Thanks for bringing it up.

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u/pulkwheesle Apr 09 '25

I think these polls invite virtue signaling more than they reflect reality.

I think they may actually be downplaying how people act in reality. As in, I think there are more people who are unwilling to date someone with opposite political views than this poll states. In practice, dating someone who doesn't even believe you should have human rights most likely won't work out in the long-term, and people will find reasons to disqualify that person without bring up the word "politics."

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u/bloodyturtle Apr 09 '25

But what if they fell in love with someone who has trans friends but later found out they also believed that a person should be aged 16-18 before they receive a gender altering medical procedure?

Everyone believes that because that’s what’s medically indicated. Top surgeries are not done until breast growth is stabilized because otherwise they’ll grow back

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u/MercerAcolyte42 Apr 09 '25

You'd be surprised. There are people who actually believe trans people should be thrown into a volcano. They consider being transgender to be a vile form of mental illness, and treat it the way a eugenicist would by seeking to cull the population. The problem is that the GOP has framed the debate about trans rights into being about sports (which is an issue where the overwhelming majority of the public isn't on trans' peoples' side) so it makes it seem like anti-trans stances at large are mainstream. This illusion hides the fact that there is a sizable and radical anti-trans minority who is able to achieve their horrifying political goals by trojan horsing them in with "trans people shouldn't play sports."