Supporters of same-sex marriage rejoice outside the Supreme Court after the court ruled that same-sex couples have the right to marry in all 50 states. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images
With Pride Month underway, Gallup reports that U.S. support for legal same-sex marriage hit a record 70%.
Why it matters: The number has continued to trend upward since Gallup began conducting the poll a quarter-century ago. This year's figure marks a 10% increase since 2015, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled same-sex marriages as constitutional.
- Same-sex marriages drew 27% support when Gallup first asked the question in 1996. It eventually reached majority support in 2011.
By the numbers: A small majority of Republicans (55%) supported same-sex marriage for the first time in 2021. The GOP has "consistently been the party group least in favor of same-sex marriage," Gallup writes, and has been a driving force behind wider support among all Americans.
- The 83% support among Democrats is consistent with the level seen in recent years, which "could suggest that support for gay marriage has reached a ceiling for this group," per Gallup.
- 84% of young adults, 72% of middle-aged adults, and 60% of older adults said in the poll they support same-sex marriage.
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