Religion is a primary dividing line for American's views on whether it is possible to transition from their sex at birth, according to new research.

While most Christians in the US (63 per cent) say gender is determined at birth, most (63 per cent) of religious 'nones' – those who do not identify with a particular faith – say a person's gender is not necessarily defined at birth.

These religious divides go further when asked how accepting Americans are of freedoms for transgender people. Within Christianity white evangelicals (61 per cent) tend to say society has 'gone too far' in welcoming people who are transgender. Black Protestants (29 per cent) and white mainline Protestants (33 per cent) are less likely to say society has gone too far and think it either has 'not gone far enough' or has 'been about right'.

Among religious 'nones' most (57 per cent) say society has 'not gone far enough' in accepting transgender people.

The issue of allowing transgender people to use public bathrooms that correspond to their gender identity rather than their birth gender has become the latest flashpoint in the long US battle over lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights. 

Earlier this year the US' Supreme Court threw out a case over transgender rights meaning there will be no ruling on the highly charged issue of transgender rights in the immediate futre. Despite the setback for transgender rights advocates, the issue will almost certainly return to the Supreme Court, probably in a year or two.