Affirmative Action Isn’t Hurting Asian Americans. Here’s Why That Myth Survives

In a new LA Times Op-ed, PRRI Board member Janelle Wong and professor and novelist Viet Thanh Nguyen challenge assumptions about college admissions ahead of the Supreme Court’s upcoming ruling on affirmative action. Citing research that shows standardized tests reflect parental education and family income more than merit, Wong and Nguyen argue that considering factors beyond test scores in admissions does not amount to intentional discrimination targeting Asian Americans. In fact, they note that the majority of Asian American registered voters support affirmative action programs and suggest that a larger issue affecting Asian American students is under resourced state universities and community colleges.

Abortion and Faith After One Year Without Roe

Bekah McNeel for Sojourners reports that since Roe v. Wade was overturned, 17 states have pursued near-total or total abortion bans, albeit some of whichare caught up in legal battles. Referencing the history of faith-based support for people seeking abortions, McNeel highlights several denominations that hold supportive or nuanced stances on abortion. Looking at the intersection of abortion restrictions and child well-being, the Annie E. Casey Foundation’sKids Count Databook finds that nine of the 17 states with the most severe abortion restrictions are in the bottom quartile of child well-being. PRRI foundthe percentage of Americans who say abortion should be illegal in all cases declined from 11 to 7 percent between 2021 and 2022.

Health Care for Trans Youth Is Becoming a Core Issue for Republican Presidential Candidates

Mel Leonor Barclay for The 19th reports on transgender issues taking center stage on the GOP campaign trail with Nikki Haley, Mike Pence, Ron DeSantis, and Donald Trump all citing “gender ideology” in some fashion. This rhetoric and misinformation from the GOP is “adding to the chorus of hostility coming from more than a dozen statehouses.” PRRI research finds that Americans who have a close personal relationship with someone who is transgender are generally comfortable with learning that a friend is transgender (62%).

Religion Can Help LGBTQ Mormons’ Mental Health, Especially if They’re Out of the Closet

Jana Riess of Religion News Service interviews PRRI Public Fellow Tyler Lefevor, a queer ex-Mormon, about his longitudinal study on the relationship between religion and happiness for LGBTQ Latter-day Saints. He found that religiousness went down over time, like he expected, but he also found that as religiousness went down, some respondents reported less meaning in life and more  depression, which shocked him. Lefevor  acknowledges how religion provides “meaning-making,” a sense of community and structure, but also how it can lead to exclusion and less family support for those in the LGBTQ community. Lefevor also states that while the data shows that it was positive for those who stayed in their religion, the feelings of those who left are likely to change over time as they grow accustomed to living outside of the church.

What’s Buzzing?

Read PRRI’s new report “The Politics of Gender, Pronouns, and Public Education” here.