June 9, 2021
Poll: Support for Marriage Equality Reaches All-Time High
Kilian Melloy READ TIME: 1 MIN.
A new poll proves love wins after all: Six years after the landmark Supreme Court ruling that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, support for marriage equality has reached an all-time high of 70%.
According to political news outlet The Hill, the new poll, conducted and released by Gallup, has tracked a popular sentiment about marriage equality since 1996.
"A small minority of Americans (27%) supported legal recognition of gay and lesbian marriages in 1996, when Gallup first asked the question," the polling firm recalled. "But support rose steadily over time, eventually reaching the majority level for the first time in 2011."
Gallup added: "This latest figure marks an increase of 10 percentage points since 2015, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that all states must recognize same-sex marriages."
Another milestone is the majority support of 55% from Republicans for marriage equality, Gallup noted.
Even as approval rates rise, one factor has remained consistent: Younger Americans are more in favor of marriage equality than their elders. Per Gallup's report, "84% of young adults, 72% of middle-aged adults, and 60% of older adults" expressed support for same-sex families having the freedom to marry legally.
Kilian Melloy serves as EDGE Media Network's Associate Arts Editor and Staff Contributor. His professional memberships include the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association, the Boston Online Film Critics Association, The Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association, and the Boston Theater Critics Association's Elliot Norton Awards Committee.
