Today's Date: March 19, 2024
EverWind Fuels Praises Historic Canada-Germany Agreement to Sell Canadian Green Hydrogen   •   Center for Disease Analysis Foundation Announces First Round of Grantees for the CDAF-Relink Grant   •   TM Associates Announces Grand Opening of Luxury Affordable Apartment Community in DC, MDXL Flats Apartments   •   Statement by Minister Qualtrough on the Closing of the 2024 Arctic Winter Games in the Mat-Su Valley, Alaska   •   Using Banuba SDKs Gives Businesses an Advantage in the Case of TikTok Ban   •   New ASEAN Energy and ACTUAL Sign Cooperation Agreement to Develop Net-Zero Plan for the New $5B USD Pengerang Energy Complex   •   Consumers Energy Expands MI Clean Air, Allowing Customers to Offset Carbon Emissions   •   Smarter AI for All: Lenovo Unveils Hybrid AI Solutions that Deliver the Power of Tailored Generative AI to Every Enterprise and   •   UL Solutions and SINAI Technologies Join Forces to Help Customers Enhance Decarbonization and ESG Performance and Reporting   •   Mbanq and The Financial Policy Council to Host: “Business Banking Battles – Big Value in the Face of Bank Industry T   •   Mitsubishi Electric Named to CDP Supplier Engagement Leader   •   Spire Global to Enhance AI-Driven Weather Prediction in Collaboration with NVIDIA   •   NAREB PREPARES MEMBERS FOR MAJOR CHANGES TO HOME SALES AGENT COMMISSIONS AFTER LAWSUIT SETTLEMENT   •   UNLOCK SPRING LEARNING: THE TOY ASSOCIATION™'S NEW STEAM ACCREDITED TOY LIST OFFERS 25 ENGAGING TOYS FOR KIDS   •   Cadence and NVIDIA Unveil Groundbreaking Generative AI and Accelerated Compute-Driven Innovations   •   College of Saint Mary Selects YuJa Enterprise Video Platform as Campuswide Media Creation and Distribution Solution   •   EarthX to Feature Benji Backer, Author of "The Conservative Environmentalist," at Upcoming Congress of Conferences   •   Carlisle Companies to Acquire MTL Holdings, a Leader in Edge Metal and Non-Insulated Architectural Wall Systems   •   Hyundai Showcases Refined-Rugged SUV Experience in New Asian American Campaign for the All-New Santa Fe   •   SBS TO RECEIVE MULTIMILLION DOLLAR SETTLEMENT FROM VOZ MEDIA
Bookmark and Share

Majority Of Americans Favor Legal Gay Marriage

 

For First Time, Majority of Americans Favor Legal Gay Marriage

Republicans and older Americans remain opposed

by Frank Newport

PRINCETON, NJ -- For the first time in Gallup's tracking of the issue, a majority of Americans (53%) believe same-sex marriage should be recognized by the law as valid, with the same rights as traditional marriages. The increase since last year came exclusively among political independents and Democrats. Republicans' views did not change.

General, Black News, African American News , Latino News, Hispanic News,  Minority News, Civil Rights, Discrimination, Racism, Diversity, Racial Equality, Bias, Equality

These results are based on Gallup's May 5-8 Values and Beliefs poll, which has tracked attitudes toward legalizing same-sex marriage each year since 2004, adding to Gallup's initial polling on the topic in 1996 and 1999.

This year's nine-point increase in support for same-sex marriage is the largest year-to-year shift yet measured over this time period. Two-thirds of Americans were opposed to legalized same-sex marriage in 1996, with 27% in favor. By 2004, support had risen to 42% and, despite some fluctuations from year to year, stayed at roughly that level through last year.

Democrats' and Independents' Greater Acceptance Shifts the Balance

Democrats' and independents' support for legalized same-sex marriage increased this year by 13 and 10 points, respectively. Republicans' views on the issue did not change from last year. Clear majorities of both Democrats and independents now support gay marriage, 69% and 59% respectively, contrasted with 28% support among Republicans.

Majorities of moderates and liberals support gay marriage, as they did last year, contrasted with 28% of conservatives.

General, Black News, African American News , Latino News, Hispanic News,  Minority News, Civil Rights, Discrimination, Racism, Diversity, Racial Equality, Bias, Equality

Support for Legal Same-Sex Marriage Decreases Sharply With Age

Support for legal gay marriage decreases markedly with age, ranging from 70% support among those aged 18 to 34, to 39% support among those 55 and older. More broadly, support is highest among younger women and lowest among older men.

Compared with last year, support for legalizing same-sex marriage increased most among younger, 18- to 34-year-old Americans, and among men under 50.

General, Black News, African American News , Latino News, Hispanic News,  Minority News, Civil Rights, Discrimination, Racism, Diversity, Racial Equality, Bias, Equality

Support for legal same-sex marriage is higher among those who attend church less frequently, among Catholics than among Protestants, and among those who are unmarried.

Implications

This year marks a significant uptick in support for legalizing same-sex marriage, exceeding the symbolic 50% mark for the first time in Gallup's history. Support rose from 27% in 1996 to the low 40% range in 2004 and remained fairly constant through last year.

The issue does, however, remain highly divisive. While big majorities of Democrats and young people support the idea of legalizing same-sex marriage, fewer than 4 in 10 Republicans and older Americans agree. Republicans in particular seem fixed in their opinions; there was no change at all in their support level this year, while independents' and Democrats' support jumped by double-digit margins.

Within the past year, Congress passed and President Obama signed a law allowing gay and lesbian members of the military to openly reveal their sexual orientation, rather than keeping it hidden as part of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. A majority of Americans have supported such a change in policy since 2005, rising to two-thirds support in 2009 and again last year. It is unclear whether the highly publicized official change in government policy on Don't Ask, Don't Tell may have been a factor in the rise in Americans' support for legalizing same-sex marriage.

Most legislation dealing with legalizing same-sex marriage occurs at the state level. At this point, five states -- Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont, plus the District of Columbia -- allow legal same-sex marriages. Most of the remaining states specifically outlaw it. At the moment, those advocating changes in constitutions and laws to allow same-sex marriage in additional states can take heart in the apparent shift in national sentiment in their direction.


STORY TAGS: General, Black News, African American News, Latino News, Hispanic News, Minority News, Civil Rights, Discrimination, Racism, Diversity, Racial Equality, Bias, Equality



Back to top
| Back to home page
Video

White House Live Stream
LIVE VIDEO EVERY SATURDAY
alsharpton Rev. Al Sharpton
9 to 11 am EST
jjackson Rev. Jesse Jackson
10 to noon CST


Video

LIVE BROADCASTS
Sounds Make the News ®
WAOK-Urban
Atlanta - WAOK-Urban
KPFA-Progressive
Berkley / San Francisco - KPFA-Progressive
WVON-Urban
Chicago - WVON-Urban
KJLH - Urban
Los Angeles - KJLH - Urban
WKDM-Mandarin Chinese
New York - WKDM-Mandarin Chinese
WADO-Spanish
New York - WADO-Spanish
WBAI - Progressive
New York - WBAI - Progressive
WOL-Urban
Washington - WOL-Urban

Listen to United Natiosns News