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Public Opinion
The public is increasingly open to ending the exclusion of same-sex couples and their families from marriage, which they consider to be inevitable, and young people already strongly support it, as do some state majorities.
In past civil rights movements, legislative and especially judicial actions towards equality occurred well before the public expressed complete comfort with equality. Although many in the public are still wrestling with the idea of fairness for all families, public support for marriage equality is growing faster in this civil rights movement than ever before. Also, our resources for judging public opinion are continuing to improve as polls begin to ask objective, unbiased questions, and pro-marriage state legislators are re-elected in astounding numbers.
Use the key resources below to learn more about how public opinion is continually growing towards supporting the freedom to marry.
FROM EVAN WOLFSON:
Marriage equality moves forward
Not only are we seeing the American people moving swiftly (in historical terms) toward marriage equality, but, in fact it turns out that even the third Wolfson considered unreachable on any reasonable timeline are not so adamant.
ANALYSIS: Is now really the right time to fight for the freedom to marry?
Evan Wolfson explains why we can't let our opponents slow us down, or let opinion polls dictate the fight for civil rights.
ANALYSIS: Why are the polls on 'gay marriage' so inconsistent?
It's all about the 'moveable middle,' that group of Americans who are genuinely wrestling with divided impulses. The way a question is framed leads to highly changeable survey outcomes as these individuals grapple with deep feelings about fairness, discrimination, and American equality.
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WHERE YOU CAN GO TO GET INVOLVED OR LEARN MORE:
Freedom to Marry: The Marriage Basics
Wondering how you can learn more about why marriage matters and how to help change hearts and minds toward fairness? The Marriage Basics gives you the facts to move forward and help advance the public's opinion toward supporting marriage equality.
Let California Ring
The Let California Ring campaign is about engaging people like you to talk to other people you know and build on the momentum in California towards marriage equality. Visit their website to learn more and access tools to start conversations.
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THE NUMBERS: POLLING & STATISTICS:
The Gallup Poll
The graph shows how public opinion has grown in support of marriage for same-sex couples over the years.
Marriage Equality Matters [PDF NOT ON SERVER]
Public opinion continually increases toward supporting the freedom to marry. Various social demographic and state majorities already support ending the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage and majorities also think marriage equality is inevitable.
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PUBLICATIONS:
Special Report on Marriage
The Pew Forum explores the marriage landscape in the United States.
Pro-Marriage Incumbents and Candidates Win Elections (pdf)
Taking a stand to end the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage does not hurt incumbents or candidates in their elections. As the number of pro-marriage incumbents and candidates continues to expand, they are winning their elections at overwhelming rates. This report presents various different states', and nationwide, election results as evidence that exhibiting leadership and voting right on the freedom to marry often helps and rarely hurts candidates and politicians.
American Values Survey (pdf)
The Center for American Values in Public Life at People for the American Way Foundation conducted in August 2006 a benchmark survey designed to provide a rigorous understanding of how Americans' religion and values impact political views and behavior. Findings refute claims about "values voters."
BACKGROUND: Marriage, exit polls and election 2004
Marriage played a role in the 2004 election, but not a decisive one. The numbers prove there is no national mandate for the religious right's ideology of homophobia.
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NEWS:
Think Evangelicals Vote in Lockstep? Meet the Routhe Family
Shifting demographics are affecting the views and votes of evangelical Christian voters, moving some to adopt more nuanced views of issues, including marriage equality. Peter Ilyan, who describes himself as a Christian environmental evangelist says, "So now when James Dobson says it's only gay marriage and abortion we should care about? One of our jokes is that gay married couples have the fewest abortions of anybody."
Poll: Majority of Vermonters Favor Marriage Equality
A majority of Vermont residents -- 54% -- say they favor marriage equality, according to an unofficial survey taken March 11. The results represent an 8% increase over last year, WPTZ in Montpelier reported Monday.
Huge Irish majority come out for marriage equality
A TV3 poll has found that 72% of viewers back the Irish government's proposal to introduce legal recognition for gay and lesbian couples…Last month lesbian and gay rights activists in Ireland came together to form a pressure group to push for full marriage equality in the country.
Swedes support full marriage equality
Seventy-one percent of Swedes favor moving beyond the nation's 14-year-old registered-partnership law and granting gay couples access to full marriage, a new poll has found.
Spaniards Overwhelmingly Approve Of Marriage Equality
With just over a month before Spain goes to the polls the Socialist government's same-sex marriage law is causing barely a ripple in the campaign. A public opinion poll released this month by Instituto Opina shows that nearly 75 percent of those questioned said they are fine with the law and it should not be repealed. Only 18 percent favor abolishing the law.
A Closer Look at "Values Voters"
The phrase "values voters" reflects political branding that we should approach with caution. All voters have values. For some those values are expressed as opposition to abortion, marriage equality and stem-cell research. Others values are expressed as support for those same things. For yet others, "values" means hunger, homelessness, poverty or a host of other concerns. No one type of voter possesses "values" to the exclusion of others.
Poll: Young voters disenchanted with Republican party's stance on marriage, among others
Young Americans have become so profoundly alienated from Republican ideals on issues including the war in Iraq, global warming, marriage for gay and lesbian couples, and illegal immigration that their defections suggest a political setback that could haunt Republicans "for many generations to come," the poll said.
PRESS RELEASE: Zogby Poll: New Jerseyans say change civil unions law to real marriage equality
As New Jersey marks the six-month anniversary of the civil unions law this Sunday, August 19, a new statewide Zogby Poll shows majorities of voters favoring changing the law to full marriage equality for same-sex couples. By 63% to 31%, New Jersey voters say they'd be fine with the state legislature upgrading civil unions to marriage equality. By 72% to 21%, New Jersey voters say state legislators would be in no electoral danger if they enacted marriage equality. By 61% to 29%, New Jersey voters say they expect the state to enact marriage equality within just a couple of years.
Another new polls show gay acceptance on the rise, especially with younger people
Evan Wolfson said differing attitudes about marriage equality could be because the younger respondents grew up in a time of greater visibility and open discussion of gays and lesbians. "The key to changing hearts is getting people to hear from and about real people," he said, "rather than approach it in the hypothetical or with just scary rhetoric or abstractions. That's why getting gay and non-gay people to talk about why marriage matters for real couples and kids, reaching out to the people around us and asking them for their support is so crucial."
Poll shows GOP voters trending positive on some gay issues
When asked, "What issue do you think best defines the Republican Party today?" only 5% said, "traditional marriage/family values"; 85% selected issues like the war on terrorism, immigration, homeland security, national defense, taxes, and the economy.
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Evan Wolfson explains why we can't let our opponents slow us down, or let opinion polls dictate the fight for civil rights.
Taking a stand to end the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage does not hurt incumbents or candidates in their elections (pdf). As the number of pro-marriage incumbents and candidates continues to expand, they are winning their elections at overwhelming rates. This report presents various different states', and nationwide, election results as evidence that exhibiting leadership and voting right on the freedom to marry often helps and rarely hurts candidates and politicians.
The Center for American Values in Public Life at People for the American Way Foundation conducted in August 2006 a benchmark survey (pdf) designed to provide a rigorous understanding of how Americans' religion and values impact political views and behavior. Findings refute claims about "values voters."
