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Content about Public opinion of same-sex marriage in the United States

May 16, 2013
In sharp reversal, poll shows 56% of Virginians now favor gay marriage

Nearly same percentage voted to pass anti-gay marriage amendment in 2006

It was just seven years ago that 57% of Virginia voters passed an amendment to define marriage as being between one man and one woman.

But a new Washington Post poll released Wednesday (15 May) shows how much things have changed in the state: 56% of those polled are in favor of marriage equality.

The percentage of registered voters opposed was 33% while 10% had no opinion.

May 16, 2013
Third consecutive Gallup Poll shows more than 50% of Americans in favor of gay marriage

Current 53% level of support is essentially double the 27% in 1996

Support for gay marriage among Americans seems to be solidifying above the 50% level, according to a poll released today by Gallup.

The latest poll shows that 53% say the law should recognize same-sex marriages. This marks the third consecutive reading of 50% or above in Gallup polling over the past year.

May 9, 2013
One year since Barack Obama changed gay rights history

Gay Star News takes a look at how gay rights has changed in the US since Obama became the first sitting president to back equal marriage

It’s one year since US President Barack Obama publically supported same-sex marriage.

Barack famously said: ‘It is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same-sex couples should be able to get married.’

Obama's words have moved the gay rights movement forward, so we decided to take a look at the year's progress. 

April 13, 2013
Poll shows increasing support in US for gay marriage

New poll shows slight majority of US respondents favor granting marriage rights to gay couples

According to a NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, 53 percent of US respondents favor allowing gay couples the right to marry.

As reported by the website First Read, this number is two points up from a similar survey conducted in 2012 December. The poll also shows 42 percent are opposed to gay may marriage, also a two point jump. These changes are within the margin of error.

April 9, 2013
Republican senator opposed to gay marriage thinks civil unions will satisfy everyone

Utah's Orrin Hatch: 'I draw the line on traditional marriage'

US Republican Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah says he believes civil unions - not same-sex marriages - are the answer to the marriage equality debate.

'I do believe this could be solved greatly by a civil-union law that would give gay people the same rights as married people,' Hatch said in an interview with radio station KVNU in Utah. 'I think we can solve this problem without undermining the very basis of marital law in our country.'

March 31, 2013
Republican senator thinks a future GOP presidential nominee will be for gay marriage

Arizona Senator Jeff Flake looks into the future and sees a Republican presidential nominee who supports gay marriage

Senator Jeff Flake thinks there will come a day when Republicans will rally around a presidential nominee who supports gay marriage.

The Arizona politician made the prediction today (31 March) to reporter Chuck Todd on the news show Meet The Press.

'I think that's inevitable,' Flake said. 'There will be one, and that I think he'll receive Republican support, or she will.'

March 30, 2013
US gay marriage polls are positive and complicated

Numerous polls show rising approval for gay marriage in the US, but no agreement about actual numbers

While polls in the US showing a growing acceptance of same gender marriage, the numbers are more complicated than the headlines suggest.

Yesterday (29 March), the Pew Research Center published a report that looked at recent surveys about gay marriage. Recent opinion polls by Fox News and Pew Research show 49%  favor legalizing gay marriage. On the other hand, a Washington Post/ABC News survey put the figure at 58.

March 28, 2013
TIME mag covers: 'Gay marriage already won'

In a stunning double cover showing two gay couples kissing, the tagline reads 'The Supreme Court Hasn't Made Up Its Mind - But America Has'

Two stunning covers have been made for TIME magazine's latest issue, featuring two gay couples kissing.

The black and white covers show two gay couples kissing close-up.

It reads 'Gay Marriage Already Won', and 'The Supreme Court hasn't made up its mind - but America has.'

It was inspired by recent polls which shows 53% of Americans support same-sex marriage, 39% oppose and 8% are undecided.

March 19, 2013
Public support for gay marriage hits new high

In new poll, 58% in favor while 36% want it to remain illegal in US

Support for gay marriage in the US has risen to 58%, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll of 1,001 adults.

The poll results, released Monday (18 March), show support for marriage equality is at an all-time high.

There are still 36% of respondents who believe it should be illegal.

The results are a reverse of just a decade ago when the same poll showed only 37% in favor while 55% were opposed.

March 14, 2013
Majority of Americans agree nationwide same-sex marriage is inevitable

New polling by a Christian group has shown that 64 percent of Americans now believe same-sex marriage to be inevitable, country-wide, while 58 percent now agree that the issue is a civil rights issue akin to race or gender

A clear majority of Americans now believe that same-sex marriage throughout the United States is an inevitability with almost as many believing the issue to be one of civil rights.

Christian polling company LifeWay found that 64 percent of Americans thought that same-sex marriage would become legal throughout the nation whether they agreed with it or not, while 58 percent agreed that it was a civil rights issue.

March 9, 2013
Next pope should allow priests and gays to marry, say American voters

Over half of American Catholics surveyed say the next pope should move the Church in a new direction

Hundreds of Catholic Americans had their say on the future of the Church.

A new poll released by Quinnipiac University this week reveals the majority of Catholic American voters support gay marriage, and hope the next pope will lead the Church in a new direction.

According to Quinnipiac University’s poll results, 54% of Catholic Americans support gay marriage, and 62% say that the next pope should allow priests to marry. 

March 3, 2013
California voters are for gay marriage 2 to 1

Poll shows California voters now support same sex marriage 2 to 1

As the Supreme Court examines Prop 8, it appears California voters now overwhelmingly support gay marriage.

As reported by Talking Points Memo, a survey conducted by Field Poll shows 61 percent of the state's voters approve of same sex marriage, with 32 percent opposed.

March 1, 2013
Support for gay marriage among Californians is now highest in state history

New poll shows 61% now favor marriage equality in the state that passed Proposition 8

A new poll released today shows a record 61% of California voters now approve of gay marriage.

The results come just four years ago after voters in the state passed Proposition 8, a ballot measure that made same-sex marriage illegal in California. The law is being challenged in a case before the US Supreme Court next month.

The latest Field Poll results are a dramatic reversal in public opinion since the first gay marriage poll in the state in 1977. At that time, just 28% favored marriage equality while 59% were against it.

February 26, 2013
Leading Republicans sign brief supporting gay marriage

Scores of prominent republicans sign legal brief to US supreme court in support of gay marriage and opposing H8 and DOMA

At least 75 leading Republicans signed a brief to be submitted to the US supreme court aruging that gay marriage is a constitutional right.

According to The New York Times, who got a copy of the document, signatories include top advisers to former president George W. Bush, four former governors and two members of congress.

February 19, 2013
Illinois poll shows 50 percent in favor of legalizing gay marriage

Only 29 percent are against marriage equality, the rest undecided

A survey of 600 adults in Illinois found that 50 percent are in favor of marriage equality in the state with the strongest support coming from Chicago.

The Crain's/Ipsos Illinois Poll was conducted after the State Senate passage last week of a marriage equality bill that will now need to be considered by the House of Representatives.

February 9, 2013
Poll shows support for Boy Scouts to drop ban on out gay members

Quinnipiac University poll shows majority wants gays to serve openly in the Boy Scouts

A recent poll shows a majority of Americans see no problem with out gay Boy Scouts.

The Quinnipiac University poll, released on 6 February, shows that 55 percent of Americans want the Boy Scouts of America to drop its ban on out members.  Only 33 percent wish for no change in the BSA's policy.

January 28, 2013
Two in three French people back gay marriage

After a quarter of a million people protested for marriage equality over the weekend, a new poll finds 63% of people back the bill

Nearly two in three French people have said they now back gay marriage, according to a recent poll.

According to Ifop, 63% of people back President Francois Hollande’s plans to introduce marriage equality.

The poll follows a quarter of a million people who marched in favor of same-sex marriage yesterday (27 January), and before a parliamentary debate tomorrow on the bill known as ‘Marriage for All’.

January 11, 2013
Majority of Europeans support gay marriage and adoption

YouGov poll shows France remains divided on same-sex marriage as thousands prepare to rally in streets against President Hollande's bill

A poll shows a majority of people in several European countries believe gay couples should be allowed to get married and adopt children.

However, the YouGov survey found France was divided on the issue with a slim majority against allowing gay couples to adopt.

The findings come ahead of an expected rally this weekend in France against the Socialist government’s plans to legalize same-sex marriage and adoption.

December 28, 2012
David Cameron warned gay marriage is 'toxic' to Tory party

Poll finds majority of Conservative Party members are opposed to equal marriage and believe leader has underestimated Tory opposition

British Prime Minister David Cameron could face a huge rebellion over gay marriage after a poll found that 71% of Tories think the bill is splitting the Conservative Party.

The UK government is pressing ahead with legislation to introduce equal marriage in England and Wales.

However, a poll carried out by the ConservativeHome website suggests Cameron has a fight on his hands from not only religious groups, but within his own party.

December 28, 2012
Majority of Americans still support ban on gay scouts leaders

A new Gallup poll has found majority support for most key areas of gay and lesbian rights but a majority also still support the Boy Scouts of America’s ban on openly gay scout leaders

New research by the Gallup polling agency has found that a majority of Americans still support the Boy Scouts of America being allowed to bar gay men from leadership roles despite most Americans now being comfortable with gays and lesbians adopting and receiving spousal benefits.

December 27, 2012
Majority of Brits now support gay marriage

ICM poll for the Guardian shows strong lead for gay marriage including support from most age ranges, all social classes and voters for all three major parties

Gay marriage is now supported by 62% of British voters with only 31% opposed – boosting government plans to legalize it next year.

The UK government is pressing ahead with legislation to introduce equal marriage in England and Wales and a separate bill will do the same job in the Scottish Parliament in 2013.

The poll showing overwhelming support for the changes comes after a Christmas marked by attacks on same-sex marriage.

December 12, 2012
Most Britons back gay marriage, despite right-wing opposition

YouGov poll shows over half of UK public support same-sex marriage plans as right-wing traditionalists continue attack

A poll shows over half of the British public back gay marriage, despite traditionalists saying new UK legislation would lead to the breakdown of the family.

A new YouGov survey found 55% of Britons support changing the law to allow same-sex marriage.

The promising figures follow yesterday's (11 December) unveiling of the coalition government's plans to legalize gay marriage.

However, Conservative Party voters are divided on the issue with 46% in favor, 48% opposed and the rest saying they don’t know.

November 16, 2012
Gallup Poll: 76% of gays voted for Obama while 22% supported Romney

Among straight voters, each candidate received 49 percent of the vote

Since President Barack Obama and Republican candidate Mitt Romney received roughly the same amount of votes - 49 percent - of straight people in last week's presidential election but Obama got more than three times the number of votes from gay voters.

Exit polls showed that 76 percent of voters who identified as gay supported Obama while 22 percent supported Romney, according to a Gallup survey conducted in conjunction with Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law.

November 11, 2012
Recent election shows an increase in black support of same sex marriage

More and more US blacks are standing for LGBT familes

Before this week's US election, news organizations played a fun parlor game: would President Barack Obama lose black voters due to his gay marriage support? In late October, the BBC ran an extensive piece on African-American Christian voters in the swing state of Ohio. Most interviewed all expressed doubt of voting for the incumbent.

October 20, 2012
Marriage amendment standing strong in Washington poll

Marriage equality advocates feeling hopeful about Washington polling numbers

In approximately three weeks, Washington residents will go to the voting booth to decide on a marriage rights law (they will also pull the lever in the US presidential election). According to a recent poll, 54 percent of state voters are in favor of same sex marriage.

As reported by the Seattle Times, the poll was conducted between 12 to 14 Oct., and has a margin of error of 4.3 percent.