{"id":25141,"date":"2011-05-13T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2011-05-13T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/2011\/05\/13\/most-say-homosexuality-should-be-accepted-by-society\/"},"modified":"2024-04-14T00:04:16","modified_gmt":"2024-04-14T05:04:16","slug":"most-say-homosexuality-should-be-accepted-by-society","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/politics\/2011\/05\/13\/most-say-homosexuality-should-be-accepted-by-society\/","title":{"rendered":"Most Say Homosexuality Should Be Accepted By Society"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n\n

While the public is divided over same-sex marriage, a majority of Americans (58%) say that homosexuality should be accepted, rather than discouraged, by society.<\/p>\n\n

Among younger people in particular, there is broad support for societal acceptance of homosexuality. More than six-in-ten (63%) of those younger than age 50 — 69% of those younger than age 30 — say that homosexuality should be accepted. Far fewer of those ages 50 and older (52%) favor societal acceptance of homosexuality.<\/p>\n\n

These are among the findings from the latest Pew Research Center political typology survey<\/a>, released May 4, 2011. The survey, conducted in February and March of this year, showed that opposition to gay marriage has continued to decline.<\/p>\n\n

Currently, 45% favor allowing gays and lesbians to marry legally while 46% are opposed. Two years ago, in April 2009, 35% supported same-sex marriage while 54% were opposed.<\/p>\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n\n

Opposition to gay marriage has fallen by 19 points (from 65%) since 1996. (For more on changing public views of same-sex marriage, see Pew Research Center reports from March 3, 2011<\/a> and Oct. 6, 2010<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n

The political typology survey also found a decline in negative views of the increasing number of gays and lesbians raising children. Today, 35% say that more gay parents is bad for society, 14% view this trend positively, while 48% say it does not make much difference. Four years ago, 50% viewed this trend negatively, 11% said it was a good thing and 34% said it made no difference.<\/p>\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/h3>\n\n

Gay Issues Still Politically Divisive\n<\/p>\n\n

Majorities across most demographic groups say that homosexuality should be accepted by society. But there are wide political and religious differences in opinions on this measure. Two-thirds of Democrats (67%) and 63% of independents say that homosexuality should be accepted, compared with 40% of Republicans.<\/p>\n\n

Among religious groups, substantial majorities of the religiously unaffiliated (79%), white Catholics (66%) and white mainline Protestants (65%) say that homosexuality should be accepted. However, just 29% of white evangelical Protestants agree, while more than twice as many (63%) say homosexuality should be discouraged by society.<\/p>\n\n

There also are gender and racial differences: More women than men favor societal acceptance of homosexuality (64% vs. 52%). Hispanics (64%) and whites (58%) are more supportive of this than are African Americans (49%).<\/p>\n\n

Gay Parenting Viewed Less Negatively<\/h3>\n\n

Since 2007, the percentage saying that the increasing number of gay couples raising children is a bad thing has fallen from 50% to 35%. The proportion viewing this trend positively has changed very little (11% then, 14% today). Rather, there has been a substantial increase in the percentage saying it does not make much difference (34% in 2007, 48% today).<\/p>\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n\n

While there continue to be sizable partisan differences in opinions about gay parenting, there has been an across-the-board decline in negative views. In February 2007, 70% of Republicans said that more gays and lesbians raising children was a bad thing for society. Today, 53% of Republicans express this view, while nearly as many say either it does not make much difference (42%) or is a good thing (4%). Just 30% of independents and 28% of Democrats view the trend toward more gay parents as a bad thing, down from 41% and 39%, respectively, four years ago.<\/p>\n\n

The proportion of African Americans viewing this trend negatively has changed little since 2007; 45% now say more gay parents are a bad thing for society, which is little changed from four years ago (52%). Negative views among whites and Hispanics have fallen 17 points and 14 points, respectively, over this period.<\/p>\n\n

Gay Issues and the Political Typology<\/h3>\n\n

The political typology found that issues relating to homosexuality and gay rights are more divisive among core Democratic groups than among GOP groups.<\/p>\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n\n

Among Democratic groups in the typology, an overwhelming percentage of Solid Liberals (92%) say that homosexuality should be accepted by society; nearly as many (85%) favor gay marriage. Solid Liberals are more white, well-educated and less religious than most other typology groups. (For detailed descriptions of all nine typology groups, see “Typology Group Profiles<\/a>“).<\/p>\n\n

By contrast, the two other Democratic groups — Hard-Pressed Democrats and New Coalition Democrats, who are much more religious and less well-educated than Solid Liberals — are divided over whether homosexuality should be accepted or discouraged. And only about a third in each group favors same-sex marriage (32% of Hard-Pressed Democrats, 34% of New Coalition Democrats).<\/p>\n\n

Both core Republican groups — Staunch Conservatives and Main Street Republicans — are highly religious; 91% of Main Street Republicans and 90% of Staunch Conservatives say that religion is personally very important. In both groups, large majorities say that homosexuality should be discouraged and oppose gay marriage.<\/p>\n\n

The three independent groups differ widely in their views of whether homosexuality should be accepted and if same-sex marriage should be legal. Republican-leaning Libertarians have very conservative attitudes on economic issues, though much more liberal views on social issues. Fully 71% say homosexuality should be accepted, though far fewer (43%) favor gay marriage. Disaffecteds, another GOP-leaning group, are highly religious and express conservative views on social issues. Only about half (48%) say homosexuality should be accepted and just 34% favor same-sex marriage.<\/p>\n\n

Post-Moderns, who lean Democratic, are young, well-educated and not highly religious. Post-Moderns overwhelmingly think that homosexuality should be accepted by society (91% say this) and support same-sex marriage (80%).<\/p>\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n\n

There are similar differences among typology groups in opinions about more gays and lesbians raising children. While 40% of Solid Liberals view this trend as good thing for society, just 9% of Hard-Pressed Democrats and 10% of New Coalition Democrats agree.<\/p>\n\n

Majorities in the two core Republican groups express negative views about more gays and lesbians raising children: 71% of Staunch Conservatives say this is bad for society, as do 56% of Main Street Republicans.<\/p>\n\n

But opinions are more mixed among the two GOP-leaning independent groups: Fewer than half of Disaffecteds (40%) and Libertarians (28%) view this trend negatively; 59% of Libertarians and 49% of Disaffecteds say it does not make much difference.<\/p>\n\n

Roughly two-thirds of Post-Moderns (66%) say the increasing number of gays and lesbians raising children does not make much difference; fewer (20%) say this is a positive trend for society while just 9% say it is bad thing.<\/p>\n\n

Read the full 2011 typology report, “Beyond Red vs. Blue: The Political Typology<\/a>,” at pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/politics<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

While the public is divided over same-sex marriage, a majority of Americans (58%) say that homosexuality should be accepted, rather than discouraged, by society. 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