Gallup: Majority Say Gay/Lesbian Relations Morally Acceptable

A recent poll out from Gallup shows 54 percent of Americans consider "gay or lesbians relations" "morally acceptable," while 42 percent say gay or lesbian relations are "morally wrong." Gallup has been asking this question since 2001. At the time, results were clearly flipped with 53 percent saying homosexual relations are morally wrong, and 40 percent saying morally acceptable. Acceptance eclipsed in 2008 and has continued to increase since this time.

 

Support for same-sex marriage has closely mirrored acceptance of gay and lesbian relations. For the first time, in 2011 Gallup found majority support for same-sex marriage and has since maintained marginal majority support.

 

Gallup also demonstrates the increasingly polarized nature-versus-nurture debate over homosexuality. When Gallup first asked the question in 1977, thirteen percent believed "being gay or lesbian [was] something a person [was] born with." In contrast 56 percent said, "being gay or lesbian [was] due to factors such as upbringing and environment." These numbers steadily coalesced until 2001 so that the electorate was evenly divided and has since stayed polarized.

Source: Gallup Organization.