U.S. Adults are becoming more accepting of openly Gay Athletes.

In a recent national survey by Witeck-Combs Communications and Harris Interactive, nearly three-fourths (72 percent) of heterosexual adults say they would not change their feelings toward a “favorite” male professional athlete if the athlete revealed he is gay. This represents an increase from 66 percent in August 2002, when heterosexual adults were asked the same survey question.

In contrast, when asked how they think other sports fans would feel toward an openly gay sports figure, 72 percent say that others would have less favorable opinions. This measure, however, has decreased from 2002, when nearly eight in 10 revealed that they felt others would have a less favorable opinion.

These are some of the highlights of a nationwide survey of 2,510 U.S. adults conducted online between March 6 and 16, 2007 by Harris Interactive, a worldwide market research and consulting firm, in conjunction with Witeck-Combs Communications, Inc., a strategic public relations and marketing communications firm with special expertise in the GLBT market.

“Openly gay and lesbian athletes have become far more visible in the nation’s major media with the ’coming out’ of WNBA player Sheryl Swoopes and the very recent publication of the New York Times best-seller ‘Man in the Middle’ by former NBA pro, John Amaechi,” said Bob Witeck, CEO of Witeck-Combs Communications. “Not only does public acceptance of gay athletes seem to be on the rise, but there’s slight progress in feelings that others are becoming more accepting as well.”

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For more information at http://www.harrispollonline.com