Support for same-sex marriage in the US higher among people with gay friends

Support for same-sex marriage in the US higher among people with gay friends

A NEW survey has revealed that Americans are almost twice as likely to support same-sex marriage if they personally know someone who is gay.

And with more than 70 per cent of people saying they now know at least one person who is gay, support for marriage equality is has moved solidly in the majority.

The findings, from pollsters the Marist Institute for US media group McClatchy, also showed the vast majority of young people favoured legislating for same-sex marriage.

“It is a sea change in attitude,” said Marist Institute Director, Lee Miringoff.

“You’d be hard-pressed to find an issue that has had a bigger shift in public opinion.”

The number of American adults who said they know someone who is gay has risen from 39 per cent in 1999 to 71 per cent today, while 52 per cent said they now know more gay people than a decade ago.

Among those who know a gay person, 61 per cent were in favour of same-sex marriage, but among those who didn’t have any personal experience of gay people support plummeted to just 36 per cent.

Young people between 18 and 29 were the most enthusiastic proponents of marriage equality with three quarters approving the move.

Overall, the survey of 1035 people found some 54 per cent of Americans now believed same-sex couples should be allowed to wed.

Miringoff said he expected to see increases in acceptance but that the poll showed that this topic transcended other political issues that came and went.

“This is really an attitudinal shift,” he said.

However, some still remain to be convinced of the merits of gay people marrying. Half of all people above 60 were in opposition while two thirds of Republican voters and three quarters of Tea Party supporters are against marriage equality.

Nineteen US states plus the District of Columbia now allow same-sex marriage, either due to referendums or court battles over the issue.

 

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3 responses to “Support for same-sex marriage in the US higher among people with gay friends”

  1. Re: “Support for same-sex marriage in the US higher among people with gay friends”

    Well … DUH! (as the kids used to say)

    That’s because … to KNOW us is to LOVE us.

  2. Everyone knows someone. It is just that not everyone is out to everyone in their lives. There is no good reason to deny that we must keep evolving until an adult, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, monogamy or polyamory, race, or religion is free to marry any and all consenting adults. The limited same-gender freedom to marry is a great and historic step, but is NOT full marriage equality, because equality “just for some” is not equality. Let’s stand up for EVERY ADULT’S right to marry the person(s) they love. Get on the right side of history!

  3. Young people are always way more progressive and think ahead on many political football issues!

    That study just shows how far we have come and also shows how much more work we have to do for total equality!

    Australia is a laughing stock in still banning gay marriage in 2014, while other western nations allow it and make millions of dollars in both the hospitality and tourism industry – while we Aussies are lose out on all that cash the government could be making!

    Here in Australia the Marriage Act 1961 is outdated and bigoted and needs to be repealed/abolished and a whole new Marriage Bill 2014 needs to be introduced to the parliament – that includes all couples, regardless of the gender of the partner!