Support for same-sex relationships is the highest it has ever been, a new Gallup report finds. The majority of Americans believe that same-sex relationships are “morally acceptable,” and the majority of Americans believe that same-sex relationships should be legal. 64% of Americans say same-sex relationships should be legal, a 50% increase over three decades. 56% say same-sex relationships are “morally acceptable,” a 40% increase over ten years.
Add this to news we reported last week, six major polls over the past year find a majority of Americans believe same-sex marriage should be legal. National polls consistently find support for marriage equality between 51% and 53%.
Anti-gay groups like Maggie Gallagher’s National Organization for Marriage, and Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council no doubt will continue to focus on semantics. Monday, Perkins tweeted his upset, because”[o]n Gallup’s #marriage poll, it should be noted that same-​sex “marriage†was used, not gay “marriageâ€, homosexual, etc.,” adding, “Words have meaning.â€
The Gallup polls’ words have meaning too. And it has nothing to do with semantics. Gallagher and Perkins can see the writing on the wall.
“Americans are now as accepting of gays and lesbians as at any point in the last three decades, if not in U.S. history,” Gallup writes. “This greater acceptance extends to their views of the morality of gay and lesbian relations, of their legality, and of whether marriage should legally be granted to same-sex couples.
“If the trends continue and political leaders are responsive to public opinion on the issue, one would expect more states and the federal government to expand the legal rights of gays and lesbians, including the right to legally marry.“