Policymakers and the media often ignore atheists and the nonreligious because they don’t understand us. We’re changing that.
We don’t just guess — we know. We conduct groundbreaking research to document the challenges, experiences, and needs of our community.
For decades, the experiences of nonreligious Americans were ignored by lawmakers or defined by our opponents. We’re changing that.
With comprehensive, groundbreaking projects like the U.S. Secular Survey and our annual State of the Secular States report, we gather the critical data required to power our movement. But these aren’t just academic exercises. They are the blueprints that inform all of our work.
State of the Secular States
Our flagship nationwide policy report evaluates more than 60 areas of law and policy across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico to assess how well each jurisdiction protects religious equality and the separation of religion and government.
Now in its seventh edition, the report has become a trusted resource for lawmakers, advocates, and journalists tracking the nationwide impact of Christian nationalism on civil rights.
Tools in the Report
The State of the Secular States is a powerful tool for grassroots advocates, state policymakers, and journalists alike.
U.S. Secular Survey
The U.S. Secular Survey is the largest and most comprehensive study of nonreligious Americans ever conducted, gathering data from nearly 34,000 atheists, agnostics, humanists, and other secular people to document their experiences with discrimination, stigma, mental health, and community.
Its findings — published in the report Reality Check: Being Nonreligious in America and a series of special reports on Black nonreligious Americans, nonreligious LGBTQ people, women, and youth — are the foundation of American Atheists’ advocacy work and give voice to a community that has too long been invisible in public life.
Community Impact Reports
These reports take a deeper look at the distinct experiences of specific communities within the nonreligious population, including Black Americans, LGBTQ people, women, and youth.
Want to learn more about our community? Get in touch with us and let’s get to work.
We’re eager to develop new resources and analysis to meet the needs of our community and ensure decision-makers have the tools they need. We’re excited to work with researchers who share our commitment to understanding atheists and nonreligious people.