According to The Pew Research Center, nationwide support for same-sex marriage reached its highest point — even among those skeptical of it — in over two decades. The findings arrive two years after the groundbreaking 2015 Supreme Court ruling that decreed that the Constitution guarantees Americans the right to same-sex marriage.
According to the research, nationwide support has surged with more Americans — 62 percent — viewing same-marriage favorably compared to the 32 percent that doesn't. Prior to this roughly two-to-one ratio, in 2010, the view of same-sex marriage was less favorable; 48 percent Americans stood against it, while 42 percent displayed support on the issue.
Support for same-sex marriage has undergone dramatic shifts over the past few years. A decade ago, only 37 percent were in favor, while 54 percent opposed; by 2015, the year of the Obergefell ruling, the favorable view on the issue went up by 18 percent points, with 55 percent giving the thumbs up and 39 percent opposing.
The research also took note of generational differences and shifts in views and highlighted that support for same-sex marriage among Baby Boomers has undergone a dramatic change compared to previous years. For the very first time ever, the majority of Baby Boomers support same-sex marriage. Standing at an unprecedented 56 percent, Baby Boomers have significantly changed their views from the last year's roughly divided stance with 48 percent against the issue and 46 percent in favor.
The research also highlighted support among racial groups, partisan entities, younger evangelicals, and varying educational groups. For Hispanics, the research showed that 60 percent of the demographic support same-sex marriage. According to the research, blacks have "long less" displayed favor for same-sex marriage compared to their white peers. But support among African Americans has also seen an uptick in recent years. Since 2015, favor for same-sex marriage among African Americans has gone from 39 percent to 51 percent.
In another landmark change unwitnessed in history, more Republicans and Republican-leaning independents do not stand against same-sex marriagethan stand in opposition. Back in 2013, opposition toward same-sex marriage among Republicans was at a solid 61 percent. Today, however, only 48 percent oppose gays and lesbians legally marrying. This is in comparison to Democrats who, in an overwhelming majority, support same-sex marriage.
According to the research, white evangelical Protestants comprise the group to display the most opposition to same-sex marriage, with 59 percent against it and only 35 percent favoring it. The older white evangelicals have shown no alteration in their views since last year. That said, support among the younger people of the group has been more pronounced over the years with 47 percent in favor of same-sex marriage.
On the formal education front, the highest amount of support for same-sex marriage comes from those who have graduated from college: 79 percent with postgraduate degrees and 72 percent with bachelor's degrees support gays and lesbians' right to marry.
The research was conducted this June after polling 2,504 adults and contains a 2.3 percentage point margin of error.
