New Yorkers Support Legalizing Surrogacy By 5-1 Margin

NY Women Support Surrogacy by 10-1 

New York, NY – The Protecting Modern Families Coalition released results of a survey of likely New York voters on the issue of legalizing gestational surrogacy. The poll found that New Yorkers support surrogacy by a 5-1 margin (63% – 13%) and women support surrogacy by a 10-1 margin (71% – 7%). Surrogacy enjoyed overwhelming support across all demographics, including race, gender, and ideology.

“New Yorkers believe that love makes a family, no matter how that family is created. This is the year that we need to end New York’s ban on surrogacy,” said The Rev. Stan J. Sloan, CEO of Family Equality, the organization spearheading the Protecting Modern Families Coalition.

“Why should the government be able to prevent women from choosing to carry a pregnancy and give the gift of life to another family? The message from women across New York is loud and clear: it’s time to end the state’s outdated ban on surrogacy,” said Risa A. Levine, New York Resident, and Advocate for RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association. “For many people who have struggled with infertility, surrogacy is the only option to have a biological child, after a long and painful journey. Women deserve the right to make our own, autonomous, health care decisions, and that includes the right to act as a surrogate to help build another family.”

Likely New York voters were asked:

Surrogacy is the process in which a woman carries a pregnancy for another person or couple. Some argue that allowing women to receive compensation for serving as a surrogate is exploitative and should be banned. Others argue that, as long as there are laws in place to protect the rights and health of the surrogate, women should not be restricted from serving as a surrogate and receiving compensation. Which of those views is closest to your own?

Topline

Ban surrogacy: 13%

Allow regulated compensated surrogacy: 63%

Unsure: 23%

Female

Ban surrogacy: 7%

Allow regulated compensated surrogacy: 71%

Unsure: 22%

Male

Ban surrogacy: 22%

Allow regulated compensated surrogacy: 54%

Unsure: 24%

Black/African American

Ban surrogacy: 14%

Allow regulated compensated surrogacy: 60%

Unsure: 26%

Asian

Ban surrogacy: 21%

Allow regulated compensated surrogacy: 55%

Unsure: 24%

Hispanic/Latinx

Ban surrogacy: 11%

Allow regulated compensated surrogacy: 60%

Unsure: 29%

White

Ban surrogacy: 13%

Allow regulated compensated surrogacy: 65%

Unsure: 22%

Democrat

Ban surrogacy: 10%

Allow regulated compensated surrogacy: 68%

Unsure: 21%

Republican

Ban surrogacy: 21%

Allow regulated compensated surrogacy: 60%

Unsure: 18%

Independent

Ban surrogacy: 11%

Allow regulated compensated surrogacy: 63%

Unsure: 26%

The survey of 1,890 New York likely voters was conducted from January 13 through January 19, on behalf of Data for Progress. The survey was fielded using the Lucid web panel marketplace, and weighted to represent likely New York Voters using education, race, gender, past vote history and other relevant characteristic by Civis Analytics, a leading data science firm. 

For a link to the poll, please go to http://filesforprogress.org/datasets/2020/1/dfp_poll_january_ny.pdf.

About Family Equality

Family Equality advances legal and lived equality for LGBTQ+ families, and for those who wish to form them, through building community, changing hearts and minds, and driving policy change. Family Equality believes every LGBTQ+ person should have the right and opportunity to form and sustain a loving family, regardless of who they are or where they live. Learn more at familyequality.org.

About the Protecting Modern Families Coalition

The Protecting Modern Families Coalition is a project of Family Equality, and advocates for New York families who rely on advances in medical assistance to have children. The coalition is made up of leading women’s, LGTBQ, infertility, and faith organizations dedicated to passing the Child-Parent Security Act during the 2020 legislative session. Supporters of the Child-Parent Security Act include: the Academy for Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys, Albany Damien Center, Alliance for Fertility Preservation, American Society for Reproductive Medicine, Auburn Theological Seminary, The Breasties, Central Conference of American Rabbis, Equality New York, Family Equality, Gay Men’s Health Crisis, Hispanic Health Network, Hudson Valley LGBTQ Community Center, Human Rights Campaign, Lambda Legal, Latino Commission on AIDS, The LGBT Community Center of NYC, Lesbian and Gay Democratic Club of Queens, The LOFT: LGBT Community Center (Westchester County), Men Having Babies, National Center for Lesbian Rights, National Council of Jewish Women NY, New York Attorneys for Adoption and Family Formation, New York City Bar Association, New York State Bar Association, New York Transgender Advocacy Group, Oasis, Latino LGBTS Wellness Center, Pride for Youth & Long Island Crisis Center, RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association, Stonewall Democratic Club of NYC, SAGE: Advocacy & Services for LGBT Elders, The Chick Mission, The LGBT Bar Association of Greater New York, UJA-Federation of New York, Union Theological Seminary, and the Women’s Bar Association of NY. To learn more, visit www.modernfamiliescoalition.com.

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Media Contact

Ed Harris / Chief Communications Officer
646.880.3005 x117
communications@familyequality.org