For Many Americans, Views of Offensive Speech Aren’t Necessarily Clear-Cut

About two-thirds of U.S. adults (65%) say that “people being too easily offended” is a major problem in the country today, while a slimmer majority – 53% – say that “people saying offensive things to others” is a major problem, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in July.

When looking at Americans’ views on these two questions taken together, nearly four-in-ten (37%) say that people being too easily offended by things others say and people saying very offensive things to others are both major problems in the country.  {snip}

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Republicans and Republican-leaning independents overwhelmingly say people being too easily offended by what others say is a major problem – 84% say this. By comparison, half of Democrats and Democratic leaners say the same.

In contrast, Democrats are more likely than Republicans to say that “people saying things that are very offensive to others” is a major problem in the country today: 63% of Democrats say this, compared with 40% of Republicans.

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However, nearly half of Republicans (48%), compared with just 12% of Democrats, say people being too easily offended is a major problem but do not say the same about people saying very offensive things. {snip}

While at least half of Americans across racial and ethnic groups say being too easily offended is a major problem in the country, White adults are particularly likely to say this: 70% of White adults say this is a major problem, as do 62% of Hispanic adults, 53% of Black adults and 50% of Asian adults. {snip}

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Women (60%) are far more likely than men (45%) to say offensive speech is a major problem. And White adults (47%) are less likely than Black (69%), Hispanic (62%) and Asian adults (57%) to express the view that it is a very big problem.

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On whether people being too easily offended is a major problem, Hispanic Republicans (75%) are less likely than White Republicans (86%) to say this is a major problem, while Hispanic Democrats (57%) are more likely than other racial and ethnic groups within their party to see it as a major problem.

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