U.S. Support For Same-Sex Marriage Hits High Of 71%
Gallup's yearly Values and Beliefs poll shows steady increase of support
Republicans and Weekly Churchgoers are the least-supportive subgroups
Adults 18-29, Democrats and Infrequent Churchgoers are the post supportive subgroups
Gallup’s yearly Values and Beliefs poll (conducted May 1-24) revealed 71 percent of Americans are in support of same-sex marriage being legal, proving this nation is vibing with the “love is love” mantra.
These latest figures match the highest percentage of support ever recorded, which happened in 2022.
Public support for gay marriages has been consistently above 50 percent since the early 2010s. But when Gallup first polled about same-sex marriage in 1996, barely a quarter of the public (27%) supported legalizing such unions.
It wasn’t until 2011 (15 years later) that support reached the majority level. Then in 2015, just one month before the U.S. Supreme Court's Obergefell v. Hodges decision, public support for legalizing gay marriage soared into the 60% level.
In 2021, it reached the 70% mark for the first time and has been there ever since.
Gallup has recorded increases in support for same-sex marriage across all major subgroups over time. Today, majorities of all but two key subgroups -- Republicans (49%) and weekly churchgoers (41%) -- say gay marriages should be legally recognized.
Like all other subgroups, weekly churchgoers (41%) are more supportive of gay marriage now than they were in the previous two decades. However, their level of support has been steady since 2018 - ranging between 40% and 44%.
The groups most in favor of legal same-sex marriage have remained adults aged 18 to 29 (89%), Democrats (84%) and infrequent churchgoers (83%).
Gay marriage became legal after the Supreme Court’s 2015 Obergefell decision. Then President Joe Biden signed bipartisan legislation to ward off future judicial attempts at undoing its legality late last year.
Rest easy, America – the gay chic weddings will continue. Hallelujah.