Growing Public Support for Same-Sex Marriage
   couples should be allowed to legally marry, public support for gay
   marriage continues to grow. Polls in 2011 by the Pew Research Center
   gays and lesbians to marry legally; about the same percentage (45%)
   opposes gay marriage. That marked the first time in 15 years of polling
   Just two years earlier, in 2009, a clear majority (54%) opposed gay
   marriage while just 37% favored it. In 1996, when Pew Research first
   asked about letting gay couples marry legally, almost two-thirds of the
   differences over gay marriage. Since the 1990s, however, support has
   change. Millennials (born after 1980) are the most in favor of gay
   marriage (61% favor), followed by Gen Xers, born between 1965 and 1980
   A majority of Democrats (56%) favor allowing gays and lesbians to marry
   Republicans favor same-sex marriage while 66% are opposed. In recent
   years, support for gay marriage has risen sharply among Democrats and
   Both whites and blacks have become more likely to favor marriage rights
   for gays in recent years, but the increase in support has been larger
   favored allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry legally.
   (For more on attitudes of religious groups toward gay marriage, see
   “Religion and Attitudes toward Same-Sex Marriage,” Pew Forum on
Most Say Homosexuality Should Be Accepted
   Americans saying that homosexuality should be accepted by society. In
   March 2011, 58% said that homosexuality should be accepted by society,
   more said homosexuality should be accepted by society than said it
   In 2006, 51% said homosexuality should be accepted, while 38% said it
   homosexuality again increased, to 58%.
     * Most Say Homosexuality Should Be Accepted
Support for Same-Sex Marriage at Record High, but Key Segments Remain Opposed
Public Divided over Same-Sex Marriage Rulings
Final Court Rulings: Public Equally Interested in Voting Rights, Gay Marriage
Changing Attitudes on Same Sex Marriage, Gay Friends and Family
     * Gay Marriage and Homosexuality