Queersetti
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Poll: Support Growing For Gay Marriage
by Doreen Brandt
365Gay.com Newscenter
Washington Bureau
(Washington, D.C.)_ A new poll suggests that Americans are growing more comfortable with the idea of same-sex marriage.
The USA Today/CNN poll, released Tuesday, shows the country equally divided on gay marriage. Though still not majority support, it is a marked improvement from a similar poll a month ago.
The USA Today/CNN survey found that 50% say that same-sex marriage would have a positive impact or have no effect at all, while 48% of those surveyed say allowing gay unions "will change our society for the worse"._
A similar poll conducted last month by ABC News found that 55 percent of those questioned rejected the idea of granting legal marriage rights to gays and lesbians._ 37 percent said same-sex marriage should be legal.
Today's poll was released as pressure on Republicans from conservative groups mounts for a constitutional amendment to permanently bar gays and lesbians from marrying, and as the right wing of the Episcopal Church meets in Dallas to consider splitting over the faith's endorsement of a gay bishop in New Hampshire. __
A USA Today analysis of the poll results says growing support for same-sex marriage, and civil unions, reflects general changes in American life.
"American couples increasingly are choosing civil wedding ceremonies over clergy-performed ones," says the paper.
"The trend reflects the loosening hold that traditional religion has on the most personal choices in people's lives ... A society that increasingly sees God's blessing on marriage as optional may be more likely to accept same-sex unions," the paper says.
"Marriage has changed more in roles and function in the last 30 years than in the last 3,000," says historian Stephanie Coontz of the Evergreen State College in Olympia, Wash._ Coontz is writing a book on the history of marriage.
She says efforts to focus on traditional religious views of marriage are a "last-ditch attempt to say this is as far as we can go."
But "when I see the battle lines drawn around gay and lesbian unions, are locking the barn door after the horses are gone," Coontz says.
According to the survey, a higher number of churchgoers are among the 48% of those surveyed who say "allowing two people of the same sex to legally marry will change our society for the worse." Of those who attend religious services weekly, 67% say they believe this, as do 51% of those who go at least once a month.
Among those who never go to church, nearly three in four (72%) say there would be no ill effects.
The poll was taken for USA Today/CNN by Gallup. 1,003 adults were surveyed between Sept. 19-21
by Doreen Brandt
365Gay.com Newscenter
Washington Bureau
(Washington, D.C.)_ A new poll suggests that Americans are growing more comfortable with the idea of same-sex marriage.
The USA Today/CNN poll, released Tuesday, shows the country equally divided on gay marriage. Though still not majority support, it is a marked improvement from a similar poll a month ago.
The USA Today/CNN survey found that 50% say that same-sex marriage would have a positive impact or have no effect at all, while 48% of those surveyed say allowing gay unions "will change our society for the worse"._
A similar poll conducted last month by ABC News found that 55 percent of those questioned rejected the idea of granting legal marriage rights to gays and lesbians._ 37 percent said same-sex marriage should be legal.
Today's poll was released as pressure on Republicans from conservative groups mounts for a constitutional amendment to permanently bar gays and lesbians from marrying, and as the right wing of the Episcopal Church meets in Dallas to consider splitting over the faith's endorsement of a gay bishop in New Hampshire. __
A USA Today analysis of the poll results says growing support for same-sex marriage, and civil unions, reflects general changes in American life.
"American couples increasingly are choosing civil wedding ceremonies over clergy-performed ones," says the paper.
"The trend reflects the loosening hold that traditional religion has on the most personal choices in people's lives ... A society that increasingly sees God's blessing on marriage as optional may be more likely to accept same-sex unions," the paper says.
"Marriage has changed more in roles and function in the last 30 years than in the last 3,000," says historian Stephanie Coontz of the Evergreen State College in Olympia, Wash._ Coontz is writing a book on the history of marriage.
She says efforts to focus on traditional religious views of marriage are a "last-ditch attempt to say this is as far as we can go."
But "when I see the battle lines drawn around gay and lesbian unions, are locking the barn door after the horses are gone," Coontz says.
According to the survey, a higher number of churchgoers are among the 48% of those surveyed who say "allowing two people of the same sex to legally marry will change our society for the worse." Of those who attend religious services weekly, 67% say they believe this, as do 51% of those who go at least once a month.
Among those who never go to church, nearly three in four (72%) say there would be no ill effects.
The poll was taken for USA Today/CNN by Gallup. 1,003 adults were surveyed between Sept. 19-21
