CBS Poll: Changing Views On Gay Marriage

Most Americans Say Same-Sex Couples Should Have Legal Recognition

(CBS)  Most Americans continue to think there should be some legal recognition of gay and lesbian couples, and 30 percent say same-sex couples should be allowed to marry - the highest number since CBS News began asking this question in 2004.

Twenty-eight percent think same-sex couples should be permitted to form civil unions, but more than a third - 36 percent - say there should be no legal recognition of a gay couple’s relationship.

Last month, the California Supreme Court struck down that state’s ban on same-sex marriage, paving the way for gay and lesbian couples to marry there.

Americans’ views on this issue have changed since 2004, although opinion has not changed substantially in the last two years. In November of 2004 (soon after the presidential election) just 21 percent of Americans supported the idea of same-sex couples being allowed to marry.

Majorities of both men and women support some form of legal recognition for gay and lesbian couples, but more women (36 percent) than men (24 percent) back the idea of same-sex marriage.

More than six in 10 Democrats think same-sex couples should be allowed to either marry or form civil unions. Fifty percent of Republicans are against either of these options.

There are regional differences, too. Four in 10 of those living in the western portion of the U.S. favor same-sex marriage - the highest of any other region. Americans living in the south are least likely to support it.

Groups most likely to support same-sex marriage include those under age 30, liberals, Americans living in the west, and those who never go to church.

Republicans, conservatives, white evangelicals and weekly church attendees are groups that are least likely to support the idea.

Read The Complete CBS News Poll

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This poll was conducted among a random sample of 1,038 adults nationwide, including 930 registered voters, interviewed by telephone May 30-June 3, 2008. 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 four percentage points. The error for subgroups is higher. The error for the sample of registered voters is plus or minus four points.

[jmhobson]

Also who is to prevent someone from getting "bullied" into such a nasty situation?

[jmhobson]

Also who is to prevent someone from getting "bullied" into such a situation?

[jmhobson]

The thing that gets to me is that of all civil rights movements to secure equality, this one seems to trivialize the rest simply because this one is strictly By Choice to make them feel better about themselves whereas the other ones were to overcome vindictive prejudicial indignity due to Who they are rather than What they are.

[hwy71so]

One word describes same gender "marriage".

Abomination.

[luvusa]

It drives me NUTS when I hear people DEMAND respect when they don''t act respectfully themselves. And it drives me equally as NUTS when these disrespectful people are heard and their rights over ride those of good law abiding, moral people. You want respect you have to earn it. Take off the a$$less chaps, feather boas and start acting respectfully and you will get respect.

[luvusa]

I AM disgusted by the a-ssless chaps and feather boas and extreme PDA for ANYONE, straight OR gay. Posted by kevzgrl

Yes, and it is extremely irresponsible, in todays day and age, what with HIV/AIDS and STD''s on the rise to exibit in such a way. It is confusing to young people and does nothing to help stop the spread of diseases.

[kevzgrl]

The problem is that once you permit the gay people to marry, you are showing our children that it is perfectly ok to be gay, and some children that would otherwise straighten out will end up being gay.
posted by easttx390 - WHATTTT??? A person does NOT become ga-y because their parents are ga-y - no more than a person becomes an IDIOT because their parents were IDIOTS. Bigots now, that''s a different story, obviously....

[luvusa]

Neocon9,

I agree. There may be those holier than thou "christians" who preach hate in the name of the Lord, they do not define all of us and certainly not me. Homosexuals accuse ALL who are against g@y "marriage" as being these radical Christians...isn''t that bigotry? They are all a bunch of hypocrites, if you ask me. And yes, I agree that they are attacking religion and the traditional family by forcing us to change the laws of marriage. I don''t care what they do in the bedroom, to each his/her own but when you try to change the sanctity of the institution of marriage, I do care. Change the laws of "civil unions" and leave marriage alone.

[kevzgrl]

Ooops, I forgot - CBS censors.....
Heaven forbid I should offend anyone by saying the word S-E-X...

[kevzgrl]

I am straight and happily married. I also have several friends who are gay, and in long-term committed relationships. Why should they be denied the legal and social status of MARRIAGE, because they love someone of the same ***? Ellen Degeneres marrying Portia DIRossi or George Takei marrying Brad Altman makes no inroads or threats to MY marriage, so why should it make a difference to anyone else''s? My Bible tells me that man is made in GOD''S image, unfortunately, that, in some people''s eyes is ONLY straight - God made the lesbian/gay person too, and He loves them JUST as He made them and just as much as He does everyone else. God DOESN''T MAKE MISTAKES!

I am with LUVUSA, though - I AM disgusted by the a-ssless chaps and feather boas and extreme PDA for ANYONE, straight OR gay. Doesn''t matter which to me - it''s stupid and show-off and completely unneccessary. Keep that in private, where it should be - it''s simply a matter of decorum and manners, not exhibitionism.

[9SLING]

After all... "We''re here, we''re queer, and we''re IN YOUR FACE!"

[9SLING]

That is perfect LuvUSA. Whole heartedly agree. Unfortunately, it seems the community is hell-bent on crapping on the sanctity of marriage because that WAS offered to them and they wouldn''t take it. The tax benefits and everything were already offered! A lot of gay''s will disagree with this... some may just not know but, anything holy is under attack in this country right now and it''s just a sign of the times.

[luvusa]

I suggest we call the union what it is... a union, rather than selfishly insisting that history rewrite itself.
Posted by Bluesjzz2

THANK YOU!!!

[bluesjzz2-2009]

I am not opposed to gay and lesbian relationships. However the relationship cannot be called a marriage for two historic reasons: First, the religious origin of marriage as a sacramental joining of male and female as prescribed in various religious texts and societal traditions; and second, the role of male and female to further propagate the species to insure it''s survival. Gay and lesbian relationships cannot do this on their own. I suggest we call the union what it is... a union, rather than selfishly insisting that history rewrite itself.

[bluesjzz2-2009]

I am not opposed to gay and lesbian relationships. However the relationship cannot be called a marriage for two historic reasons: First, the religious origin of marriage as a sacramental joining of male and female as prescribed in various religious texts and societal traditions; and second, the role of male and female to further propagate the species to insure it''s survival. Gay and lesbian relationships cannot do this on their own. I suggest we call the union what it is... a union, rather than selfishly insisting that history rewrite itself.

[luvusa]

I am straight as they come and I cannot for the life of me figure out why people think being gay is 1) a choice and 2)wrong. Some of the most decent people I am privileged to call friends are gay ...Posted by papergrl

It''s just ignorance. I think that what these people are against is when g@y people dance in the streets with a$$less chaps and pink boas...personally, I''m against anyone g@y or straight dressed like that dancing around. I think the flamboyant types give g@y people a bad name.

[9SLING]

Why was my comment deleted? Fox News doesn''t censor like that! I used no profanity or anything. It was just a question? I just said I think that gay men must really love each other to go thru all the medical problems discomforts that go along with that kind of love. The "firing squad" comment was WAY worse! Put my comment back up please. Thats not fair.

[shippg-2009]

Interesting how statistics are used and abused. If 30 percent are for gay marriage, that means 70 percent are against it.

[voidmaster-2009]

Your religion does not matter.

It might to you, but to me it is irrelevant. Keep it to yourself. I will not be bothered with it.

[nanc12]

Seeing that being gay is a forbidden religous act, how can people accept gay marriages?
Posted by momov2

Because they''re not talking about religious marriages - they''re talking about getting a marriage certificate.