Despite Growing Support for Gay Marriage, Americans Divided on Attitudes Towards Homosexuality

Tom W. Smith, Director of the General Social Survey at NORC, an independent research organization at the University of Chicago, is available to discuss changing attitudes towards homosexuality. A recently released report on sexual morality finds that approval of same-sex marriage rose from 10.9% in 1988 to a record high of 48.4% in 2012. But even in 2012, the public remains very divided in its views of homosexuality. In 2012, 43.4% said homosexual sex was always wrong and 41.6% thought it was not wrong at all. Only 10.0% were in the middle saying it was either almost always wrong or wrong only sometimes. Thus 85% are at opposite ends and with just 10% in the middle and 5% saying they don’t know. On gay marriage in 2012, a plurality of 48.4% approve, but 38.7% disapprove and 13.0% neither approve nor disapprove or are unsure. Reports may call Tom Smith directly at 773-256-6288 or contact William Harms, 773-702-8356, [email protected]