Contrary to previous years, a new study has found that now more than half of Latinos support marriage equality. The study, conducted by the Pew Hispanic Center, revealed that 52 percent of Latinos believe same-sex marriage should be legal, with only 34 percent opposing. That is a significant turnaround from just six years ago, when 56 percent of Latinos did not approve of same-sex marriage. The Latino community’s support mirrors a growing general acceptance of marriage equality among the American public.

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Latino superstar Ricky Martin with his boyfriend, Carlos Gonzalez Abella

The study also found that religious affiliation seemed to affect views on same-sex marriage. While 54 percent of Catholic Latinos support equality, 66 percent of those who affiliate themselves with the evangelical church oppose it. Seventy-one percent of evangelical Hispanics who attend church at least once a week are not in favor of same-sex marriage; however, 46 percent of Catholics who attend religious services weekly do support marriage equality.

Tying in with the upcoming election, the survey revealed that a whopping 69 percent of all registered Latino voters support President Obama, who backed marriage equality in May of this year. And although a vast majority of evangelical Hispanics oppose gay marriage, only 39 percent of them are likely to vote for Romney. With Election Day only a few weeks away, these new statistics could say a lot for how the Latino community will vote.

Photo: Socialite Life