More Republicans now say gays are born this way

For the first time, the majority of Americans believe that gay people are born gay, rather than become gay based on their environment, according to a poll released Wednesday by the research group Gallup.

Even people who identified as Republicans in the survey were more likely to say people are born gay or lesbian than not. Forty percent of Republicans now say they believe gay people are born gay, compared to 36 percent who say it has to do with upbringing and environment.

“Most people experience little or no sense of choice about their sexual orientation,” according to the American Psychological Association, the organization that represents psychologists in the U.S.

Between May 6-10, Gallup conducted about 1,000 telephone interviews with adults in all 50 states for the survey.

The report also noted that “recent trends toward Americans’ increasing acceptance of gays and lesbians still show no sign of leveling off, and should continue to rise in the future,” especially considering “young people are more likely than older Americans to express positive views of same-sex relations.”