Most Americans who don’t identify as LGBTQ, survey shows

A majority of Americans who don't identify as LGBTQ believe companies should publicly support the LGBTQ community, according to a new survey conducted by gay rights organization GLAAD.

About 70% of more than 2,500 individuals who don t identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or another otherwise member of the community said support from companies should come through hiring practices, advertising and sponsorships, according to online responses to GLAAD's annual Accelerating acceptance study, conducted in February.

When people are exposed to LGBTQ people and experiences in the media, it changes hearts and minds and shifts culture and sentiment, GLAAD said in a statement. The presence of media comfortability is a way for LGBTQ people to achieve 100% acceptance. Three out of four survey subjects said they feel comfortable seeing LGBTQ people in advertisements, and nearly 70% said they felt comfortable seeing an LGBTQ family with children included in ads.

The study comes as retailers such as Target, Kohl s and PetSmart have come under fire for their annual LGBTQ Pride merchandise displays and ad campaigns.

In a statement, Amazon said last week that it had pulled some of its merchandise off the shelves. The company's spokeswoman said threats to workers were impacting our team members' sense of safety and wellbeing while at work. In stores and on social media, critics continue to voice their support for anti-LGBTQ attacks, with some advocating for boycotts.

In April, Bud Light was sacked after collaborating with transgender social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney. The campaign triggered violent videos of customers shooting Cans of Bud Light and a right-wing boycott. The marketing executive who oversaw Bud Light's partnership at parent company Anheuser-Busch Inbev took a leave of absence from the company.

Since then, Bud Light's sales have remained worst-cased, according to data from Evercore ISI. In the week ended May 20, Bud Light sales volume - the number of units sold - fell 29.5% compared to the same period last year.

LGBTQ leaders have criticised Microsoft for not defending its ties with Mulvaney and the community more strongly.

Anheuser-Busch said it works with hundreds of influencers across our brands as one of many ways to connect with audiences across different demographics. GLAAD and more than 100 leading LGBTQ advocacy groups filed a letter on Wednesday calling on Target to reject and speak out against anti-LGBTQ extremism going into Pride Month, which is celebrated in June.

Doubling down on your values is not only the right thing to do, the group wrote in a statement. It's good for business. A separate survey conducted by GLAAD and the Edelman Trust Institute in December found that American consumers are twice as likely to buy or use a brand that publicly supports and demonstrates a commitment to expanding and protecting LGBTQ rights.

GLAAD CEO Sarah Kate Ellis emphasized last week that companies need to stand behind their products and ad campaigns instead of backing down.

Anti-LGBTQ violence and hate should not be winning in America, Ellis said. But it will remain until corporate leaders step up as heroes for their LGBTQ employees and consumers, and don't cave to fringe activists calling for censorship.