Is America ready for an open lesbian or gay president?

“Yes. I think society doesn’t get the credit it deserves. People are more open-minded than we’re led to believe. The voices of hate tend to get amplified. But I have more faith in people. There’s a lot of support out there for the LGBT community.”

“Yes. There’s always time for change. We never thought there would be a black president, then Obama got elected. Things have gotten better. But a lesbian will probably get elected before a gay man. That’s because it’s more acceptable for two women to be together [rather] than two men.”

“Definitely. The shock value [of being lesbian or gay] is gone. The stigma has greatly lessened. That’s my perception, living in Philadelphia. I can’t speak for Middle America. But for most of the country, I don’t think it would be an issue.”

“Sadly, no. I’d give it 20 years. Too many people have a hard time with the subject. It’s silly that people still link sexual orientation with job performance, but they do. They still think someone’s sexual orientation matters. It’s just ignorance.”