April 3, 2009 4:19 PM

Poll: Americans Divided On Gay Marriage

By
Fred Backus
Topics
Polling
(CBS/AP)
As the Iowa Supreme Court overturns a ban on same-sex marriage, Americans overall remain divided on the issue, a newly released CBS News poll finds.

Although six in 10 Americans think some form of legal recognition is appropriate for same-sex couples, only a third of Americans think those couples should be allowed to marry.

Another 27 percent of Americans support civil unions for same-sex couples, while 35 percent thinks there should be no legal recognition of same-sex relationships at all.

Americans are somewhat more supporting of gay marriage or civil unions than they were in 2004. Then just 22 percent supported gay marriage and 40 percent said there should be no legal recognition of same-sex relationships.
Read The Complete Poll
Support for legalizing same-sex marriage has remained about the same for the past two years.

How Americans feel about the issue of same-sex marriage varies greatly upon their age, gender, political affiliations, and the regions of the country from where they live.

While 41 percent Americans under 45 support legalizing gay marriage, only 18 percent of Americans over 65 agree, and nearly half of seniors do not think there should be any legal recognition of same-sex marriage.

Americans between 45 and 64 generally support some form of civil unions between same-sex couples, though only 29 percent think same-sex couples should marry.

Women (38 percent) are more likely than men (27 percent) to support same-sex marriage, by a margin of 11 percentage points.

Republicans, conservatives, and white evangelicals oppose any legal recognition of same-sex couples, while Democrats and liberals are more likely to support same-sex marriage.

Regionally, same-sex marriage is most popular in the Northeast (44 percent support) - where Massachusetts and Connecticut have already established same-sex marriage as legal – and it is popular in the West (38 percent support). Same-sex marriage is far less popular in the Midwest (30 percent) and the South (25 percent).

This poll was conducted among a random sample of 1142 adults nationwide, interviewed by telephone March 12-16, 2009. Phone numbers were dialed from RDD samples of both standard land-lines and cell phones. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus three percentage points. The error for subgroups is higher.

This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

Add a Comment See all 172 Comments
by misslynne89 December 12, 2010 5:16 PM EST
a very commonly quoted verse against homsexuality: Leviticus 20:13 "If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them." -other quotes in the same book, before and after.- " Don't have a variety of crops on the same field. (Leviticus 19:19) Don't cut your hair nor shave. (Leviticus 19:27) people who have flat noses, or is blind or lame, cannot go to an altar of God (Leviticus 21:17-18) we are all guilty of SOMETHING in that book, and im sure no one repents for shaving!
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by Broncopete April 28, 2009 3:55 PM EDT
People had better start reading the Bible... I am definitely no religious scholar, but know enough to see that much of what it states in the Bible as being wrong our country seems to be embracing! This country is full of way to may followers and complacent people that had better wake up.
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by Giveback April 16, 2009 2:01 PM EDT
Churches/businesses/politics/ect.
ALL want our money or our votes, don't they-why do you seem to need our business or votes?
We are not so difference are we!

Stop the madness and Love all people today!
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by oldschool561 April 14, 2009 8:15 AM EDT
That isn't the way God made us.
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by honestabe8 April 13, 2009 6:56 AM EDT
tturner: still pompous enough to be interpreting the intentions of "the creator"?

whle you are at it, what was "the creator" thinking when he/she/it "created" the platypus?
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by pthmas610 April 12, 2009 11:49 AM EDT
The issue of gay marriage will go away when straight people stop giving birth to gay folk.
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by tturner55 April 11, 2009 1:48 AM EDT
God's word has stood since the beginning of time which was also created by HIM. In the beginning HE created man and then woman, not another man. The homosexual argument does not change the intentions of the creator. For all have sinned, not just homosexuals, and fall short of the Glory of GOD. But, John 3:16 says: GOD so LOVED the world that he gave his only begotten son (Jesus Christ) that whoever would believe in HIM (Jesus Christ) would not perish but have everlasting life. No secular human, government, or sinful world can alter the purpose of the creator and his intentions for the human race. Although he does give us a free will to choose our ways even if the ways we choose may be wrong HE still LOVES us and wishes none to perish, but as HE says in HIS word he will judge the wicked. I find it quit amazing that the secular humanist has twisted the facts around in order to suit their purposes in an attempt to justify their sins. Easter and Christmas have been celebrated for centuries and that will continue long after we are gone. No matter what you feel right now toward GOD he still LOVES you and will forgive you if you call name of Jesus and put your Faith and Trust in HIM. Have a blessed Easter Sunday.
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by noloyalisti April 10, 2009 3:07 PM EDT
Divorce and then end of the family is what the real problem is. Not stealing rights from people who pose NO threat to you. This is a stupid non-starter fringe issue. Who cares except for a bunch of fake Christians?
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by guysdigdirt April 9, 2009 3:54 PM EDT
I'll never understand why, in a Country as Proud as America, there is indecision about whether an immoral, perverse sexual lifestyle is good or not.
Posted by davicar2 at 6:20 AM : Apr 6, 2009

Like bigotry, segregation and sexism. those are pretty immoral and perverse. but the US constition does allow for people to be as stupid as they want to be. It its the "pursuit of happiness..." clause.
Posted by bytheway59

And nature takes care of the rest as it helps weed out the unnatural and perverse by not allowing them to bring young into the world.
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by guysdigdirt April 9, 2009 3:46 PM EDT
If the church wants to refuse to recognize such marriages, fine. But the state should not perpetuate unequal status. I think that the people who most abhor gay marriage are probably worried about their own sexual identity.
Posted by steeepe

The state does recognize equality, it is called domestic partnership. Letting one group of people take something away from another is not equality. Marriage is and always has been one man and one woman. Changing that will not lead to equality.

Oh, and as far as the last sentance you left... that is what you get for thinking.
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