Kevin and Pete, Real Weddings
Photo by Kristin Korpos Photography
Attitudes toward same-sex marriage are progressively becoming more supportive, according to the newest research from The Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life. In 2001, 57 percent of Americans opposed same-sex marriage and 35 percent supported it. Now, 47 percent are in favor and 43 percent opposed, according to a Pew poll conducted from April 4 to 15.
Perhaps its predictable that more women support gay marriage than men or than non-religious groups are more strongly in favor of marriage equality, but do note the rise of conservatives willing to embrace the idea of the LGBT community having equal rights in marriage.
According to the Pew Research Center:
The latest national survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, conducted April 4-15, 2012, also finds that the public is divided over gay marriage: 47 percent favor allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry legally, while 43 percent are opposed. In 2008, 39 percent favored and 51 percent opposed gay marriage, based on an average of polls conducted that year. In 2004, just 31 percent supported gay marriage, while nearly twice as many (60 percent) were opposed.
Moreover, for the first time in a Pew Research Center survey there is as much strong support as strong opposition to gay marriage. In the current survey, 22 percent say they strongly support allowing gays and lesbians to marry legally; an identical percentage (22 percent) strongly opposes gay marriage. In 2008, there was about twice as much strong opposition to as strong support for gay marriage (30 percent vs. 14 percent).
In 2004, when the issue was widely thought to have increased turnout among socially conservative voters in several key states, 36 percent strongly opposed gay marriage while just 11 percent strongly favored it.
Below are the recent poll graphics released this month by The Pew Research Center.
