Cebu_4_2
13th December 2012, 01:33 PM
WSJ/NBC Poll: Majority Now Backs Gay MarriageBy Neil King Jr.
http://s.wsj.net/public/resources/images/OB-VR325_gaymar_E_20121213123716.jpg
Driven by a surge in support among the young and minorities, a majority of Americans now supports gay marriage, marking an abrupt shift in public opinion on a divisive issue.
In a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll (http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/DECEMBERNBCWSJ12122012.pdf), 51% of Americans said they favor allowing same-sex marriages, up from 30% in 2004 and 41% just three years ago.
Some of the sharpest swings in acceptance come among African-Americans and suburbanites. In 2009, less than a third of blacks and 37% of Americans living in the suburbs said they approved of gay marriage. A majority of both of those groups now favor the unions.
The poll finding comes just days after the Supreme Court agreed to hear cases (http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2012/12/13/wsjnbc-poll-majority-now-backs-gay-marriage/online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324640104578165363433361742.html)n ext year challenging the federal Defense of Marriage Act and California’s ban on same-sex marriage.
President Barack Obama (http://topics.wsj.com/person/O/barack,-obama/4328) in May became the first sitting president to personally endorse the right of gay couples to wed.
In the poll, 55% of Americans said they would support a law to legalize gay marriage if one passed in their state. Maine, Maryland and Washington became the first states in the country in November to approve gay marriage at the ballot box. Six others states and the District of Columbia have allowed the unions through legislative acts or judicial rulings.
The poll showed that the swing in approval has been most dramatic among the young. Eight years ago, less than a third of Americans between 18 and 29 years old said they approved of same-sex marriage. That number has since shot up to 65%.
Overall, women approve of same-sex marriage far more often than men, 57% to 44%.
There are demographic and geographic pockets where sentiment has budged far less. In 2009, 45% of Hispanics said they favored allowing same-sex marriage, a view that has shifted to just 46% in the most recent Journal poll.
Among Americans over 65 years old, 37% say they now favor same-sex marriage, up from 30% in 2009.
The change in sentiment has also been less dramatic among Republicans overall. In 2009, 22% of Republicans said they approved of same-sex marriage, compared with 27% now.
Rural Americans are among the only groups showing less acceptance of same-sex marriage. In 2009, 39% of Americans living in small towns and rural areas approved of the unions. That fell to 30% in the latest poll.
More: See a recent graphic (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204846304578095160441448532.html) showing how attitudes toward gay marriage have changed.
More from the WSJ/NBCNews poll:
Poll: Strike a Cliff Deal Now (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324296604578175613828863492.html)
PDF: NBC News/Wall Street Journal December Survey (http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/DECEMBERNBCWSJ12122012.pdf)
Republicans Are in a Blue Mood as Holidays Approach (http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2012/12/13/republicans-are-in-a-blue-mood-as-holidays-approach/)
http://s.wsj.net/public/resources/images/OB-VR325_gaymar_E_20121213123716.jpg
Driven by a surge in support among the young and minorities, a majority of Americans now supports gay marriage, marking an abrupt shift in public opinion on a divisive issue.
In a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll (http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/DECEMBERNBCWSJ12122012.pdf), 51% of Americans said they favor allowing same-sex marriages, up from 30% in 2004 and 41% just three years ago.
Some of the sharpest swings in acceptance come among African-Americans and suburbanites. In 2009, less than a third of blacks and 37% of Americans living in the suburbs said they approved of gay marriage. A majority of both of those groups now favor the unions.
The poll finding comes just days after the Supreme Court agreed to hear cases (http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2012/12/13/wsjnbc-poll-majority-now-backs-gay-marriage/online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324640104578165363433361742.html)n ext year challenging the federal Defense of Marriage Act and California’s ban on same-sex marriage.
President Barack Obama (http://topics.wsj.com/person/O/barack,-obama/4328) in May became the first sitting president to personally endorse the right of gay couples to wed.
In the poll, 55% of Americans said they would support a law to legalize gay marriage if one passed in their state. Maine, Maryland and Washington became the first states in the country in November to approve gay marriage at the ballot box. Six others states and the District of Columbia have allowed the unions through legislative acts or judicial rulings.
The poll showed that the swing in approval has been most dramatic among the young. Eight years ago, less than a third of Americans between 18 and 29 years old said they approved of same-sex marriage. That number has since shot up to 65%.
Overall, women approve of same-sex marriage far more often than men, 57% to 44%.
There are demographic and geographic pockets where sentiment has budged far less. In 2009, 45% of Hispanics said they favored allowing same-sex marriage, a view that has shifted to just 46% in the most recent Journal poll.
Among Americans over 65 years old, 37% say they now favor same-sex marriage, up from 30% in 2009.
The change in sentiment has also been less dramatic among Republicans overall. In 2009, 22% of Republicans said they approved of same-sex marriage, compared with 27% now.
Rural Americans are among the only groups showing less acceptance of same-sex marriage. In 2009, 39% of Americans living in small towns and rural areas approved of the unions. That fell to 30% in the latest poll.
More: See a recent graphic (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204846304578095160441448532.html) showing how attitudes toward gay marriage have changed.
More from the WSJ/NBCNews poll:
Poll: Strike a Cliff Deal Now (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324296604578175613828863492.html)
PDF: NBC News/Wall Street Journal December Survey (http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/DECEMBERNBCWSJ12122012.pdf)
Republicans Are in a Blue Mood as Holidays Approach (http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2012/12/13/republicans-are-in-a-blue-mood-as-holidays-approach/)