A new Gallup poll indicates that acceptance of same-sex marriage and relationships in the United States has plateaued after more than two decades of steady growth, with a notable decline among Republicans.
Key Findings
Approximately 65% of U.S. adults now believe same-sex marriage should be legal, a drop from 71% in 2022 and 2023. This decline is largely driven by decreasing acceptance among Republicans, with only 37% supporting legal same-sex marriage and 35% viewing gay and lesbian relations as morally acceptable, according to the survey conducted in May.
In contrast, views among Democrats and independents remain largely stable, with majorities in both groups supporting same-sex marriage and considering gay or lesbian relations moral.
Widening Partisan Divide
The growing partisan gap is also evident in policy debates over LGBTQ+ issues across the country, particularly concerning transgender rights and efforts in some states to ban same-sex marriage. While the recent shift in public opinion is subtle, it marks a significant departure from the dramatic increase in support seen over previous decades.
Gallup's trend data shows that only 27% of U.S. adults supported legal same-sex marriage in 1996. Support rose steadily until a few years ago, peaking at around 70%. Similarly, the percentage of adults viewing same-sex relations as morally acceptable increased from about 40% in 2001 to nearly 70% in recent years.
Same-Sex Marriage Nationwide
Same-sex marriage has been legally recognized nationwide since the 2015 Supreme Court ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges. By last year, there were over 800,000 married same-sex couples, according to the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law.
Despite this, pushback continues. A call to overturn the 2015 decision reached the Supreme Court last year but was dismissed without comment. The Southern Baptist Convention overwhelmingly called for reversing the ruling and imposing a ban.
Lawmakers in at least 11 states have introduced legislation to ban same-sex marriage, though most have not gained traction. However, Tennessee's House passed a measure allowing private citizens and organizations to refuse recognition of same-sex unions, and Idaho's House passed a resolution urging the Supreme Court to undo the 2015 decision. A similar number of states have introduced measures to protect same-sex marriage.
Transgender Acceptance Declines
The poll also found that about 40% of Americans view changing one's gender as morally acceptable, down from nearly half in 2021. Transgender rights have become a prominent political issue, with most Republican-controlled states enacting laws restricting gender-affirming care for minors, bathroom access, and participation in sports. Former President Donald Trump signed executive orders pursuing similar policies at the federal level, though one such policy was recently struck down in court regarding transgender troops in the military.
The Gallup poll, conducted May 1-17, is based on telephone interviews with a random sample of 1,001 U.S. adults, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.0 percentage points.
