For the first time, a majority of Republican voters in the United States are in favor of same-sex marriage, according to a Gallup poll released today. Overall, 70% of respondents, a record percentage, voted in favor.
This poll reveals that the percentage of those who approve of gay marriage has increased significantly compared to 2015, when they were legalized in the US by a decision of the Supreme Court. That year, 60% of Americans were in favor of such marriages. The Gallup Annual Values and Beliefs Survey, which also tracks trends in the death penalty and birth control, showed that 37% of Republicans were in favor of same-sex marriage that year – a percentage that today it has risen to 55%.
“One of the most striking trends the research reveals is that Americans can change their minds about an issue in a relatively short time,” analyst Justin McCarthy told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
The Republican Party is historically more conservative on social issues and less willing to promote the rights of the LGBTQI community. Under Donald Trump, transgender people were barred from enlisting in the military. According to the Human Rights Campaign, which fights for LGBTQ rights, 29 countries around the world, including Norway, Portugal and South Africa, have legalized same-sex marriage. Chile, Japan, Lithuania and Thailand are also discussing legalization.
The poll also shows that older people have more conservative views, compared to young and middle-aged people. 84% are in favor of gay marriage between the ages of 18-34, 72% between the ages of 35-54 and 60% over the age of 55.
Source: RES-EAP
