Most U.S. Adults Believe There Are Only 2 Genders, Survey Shows

Most American adults say male and female are the only two genders, according to a new poll released on Monday.

The survey conducted by Rasmussen Reports asked 1,000 adults in the U.S. if they agreed with the statement that "[t]here are two genders, male and female." Seventy-five percent of respondents said they agreed with the statement, including 63 percent who said they strongly agreed.

The poll also asked if schools and teachers should be allowed to counsel students on their sexual and gender identities without parental knowledge or consent. Sixty-nine percent said they would disagree with such guidance being provided to children without parental permission, compared to 19 percent who said they feel schools/teachers should be allowed to do such counseling.

A question was included in the survey about Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling which stated she's been criticized by some for "engaging in 'hate speech' toward transgender people for saying that there are two biologically distinct genders."

The poll asked: "Do you agree with J.K. Rowling, or is it 'hate speech' to say there are only two genders?"

Fifty-eight percent said they agreed with Rowling, while 17 said they think her words constituted "hate." Another 25 percent said they weren't sure.

Rowling responded to the poll on Twitter Wednesday, where she took issue with the question.

"Small but important point: I've never said there are only two genders. There are innumerable gender identities," Rowling wrote. "The question at the heart of this debate is whether sex or gender identity should form the basis of decisions on safeguarding, provision of services, sporting categories and other areas where women and girls currently have legal rights and protections."

Rowling continued, "Using the words 'sex' and 'gender' interchangeably obscures the central issue of this debate."

She also provided a link to a controversial essay she penned in June 2020 and pointed out it included the statements "trans lives matter" and "trans rights are human rights."

When the poll broke down its question about gender by political affiliation of the respondents, it showed that more Republicans said they strongly agreed that there are only two genders, male and female. Eighty-two percent of Republicans said they strongly agreed with that statement, compared to 47 percent of Democrats and 60 percent of independent or unaffiliated respondents who said the same.

The polling company behind the survey, Rasmussen Reports, has been criticized by some outlets in the past for showing a conservative bias.