A majority of Americans say they support legal recognition of same-sex marriage amid growing evidence that the public’s become more comfortable with gays and lesbians, according to a new CNN/ORC International survey released Wednesday.
According to the survey, 54 percent of respondents now say that marriages between gay and lesbian couples should be leagl, with only 42 percent opposed.
The results also indicated that the number of Americans who say they have a close friend or family member who is gay jumped from 49 percent in 2010 to 60 percent today, the first time in CNN polling that a majority of Americans have said that.
“Attitudes toward sexual orientation have also changed over that same time period,” says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland.
“In 1998, a majority believed that someone who is gay or lesbian could change their sexual orientation if they choose to do so. Today, only a third feel that way, and the number who say that gays and lesbians cannot change their orientation is almost six in ten. Those shifts probably explain the growing acceptance of same-sex marriage.”
[...]
The poll indicates a partisan divide, with seven in ten Democrats as well as six in ten independent voters saying same-sex marriages should be recognized by the law as valid, and 72 percent of Republicans opposed. The survey also indicates a generational divide, with nearly two-thirds of those under 50 in favor of legal same sex marriages and 55 percent of those 50 and older opposed.
The CNN poll was conducted by ORC International from May 29-31, with 1,009 adults nationwide were questioned by telephone. Full results are here (PDF).
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Took that poll myself. :-)
I have never heard a logical reason for opposing same-sex marriage.
WHO. CARES. WHAT. THE. MAJORITY. WANTS.
Legalize same-sex marriage already! The majority doesn’t dictate other people’s rights – give me a freaking break.
ive also never heard of a decent logical reason for opposing gay marriage anywhere the only reason i keep hearing is that its a sin which is a garbage reason
Logic has nothing to do with hate, fear, and/or religion. That said, those polls are cute….yet when put to voter initiatives across the country, 30 states overwhelming voted to define marriage 1 man-1 woman nonsense. Which goes to show that people love to talk the talk and make themselves sound all cool and tolerant and understanding, but when alone behind the voter booth curtain, remain as medieval as ever. >_<
also means as NORMAL democrats and liberals TALK go t oPARTIES but do not VOTE regularly GOP white conservatives VOTE all the time and ELECTED bigots like themselves! to represent them
Good comment Phillip I agree. I read something the other day about comparing educated people and uneducated people to their thought on religion and it they relate to the LGBT community. This poll holds up their report. People with an higher education are more likely to look at what their religion says and looks at the issue at hand and makes their decision on the issue not their religion. People with the lack of a higher education are more likely to follow whatever their religion tells them. I am sure that if more studies like this was to happen they would find that the less educated who follow whatever their religion tells them are a higher present republican/conservatives.
Right Philip..All polls show majority supports..yet all actual elections show the opposite?? When it counts,where is everyone???
i had to go to iowa to get married, i live in indiana im hoping it becomes legal here then we can do the right things as a family. i wamt her to take my name already
YES!
There has been one thing that I have noticed about the question of same-sex marriage. The most vocal and vociferous opposition appears to come from fundamentalist Christians. They often state the definition of marriage in their terms alone. But marriage is not the exclusive property of Christians to define or restrict. Marriage existed thousands of years before Christianity or, for that matter, Judaism and functioned quite well. There are successful, happy marriages that exist today in other cultures and religions that in no way involve or invoke Christian teachings or values. It is true Christianity, historically, has been and is the dominant religion in this country and will be for the foreseeable future. Yet many Christians have no particular or personal objection to same-sex marriage, some are in a same-sex marriage themselves or are close to someone who is. There are others who are indifferent, or it just isn’t worth the fight to them. I feel a lot of the fear actually comes from the future of Christianity itself! Will the religion survive? Who can and cannot be a Christian? How can one be a good Christian? Who decides these questions? What would Jesus do? These are some of the same questions asked in the 1st century A.D. To them the religion and God are under attack! To us, Christianity is being corrected or at least being re-interpreted and re-defined. While I do not feel Christianity will be discarded and end up on the “trash-heap” of history. I am of the opinion it will change. It will adjust. It will do so slowly and at times painfully. But it will eventually accept and dare I say embrace its LGBTQ children and accept and promote the love and devotion in our unions as well. It will do so because that is a biggest and most important part of the definition of marriage. Just sharing my opinion.
YES!! We should get marryed just like every one else..