Support for Same-Sex Marriage Is Declining

Support for same-sex marriage in the United States is declining, especially among Republican voters, according to new data.

Gay marriage was legalized nationwide in 2015, after the landmark Supreme Court case Obergefell v. Hodges. While approval for same-sex marriage steadily increased across political affiliations, data from Gallup has shown a decrease over the past two years.

The majority of Americans still approve of it, with 69% saying same-sex marriages should be legal. The peak for national approval of gay marriage was 71%, in 2022. Slightly fewer Americans believe that gay marriage is “morally acceptable,” with 64% agreeing with the statement in 2024, suggesting that some Americans want same-sex marriage to be legal without personally liking the idea.

Democrats remain largely supportive of same-sex marriage, though their approval has slightly decreased. The Gallup poll shows that 83% of Democrats support same-sex marriage, which is a minor drop from highs of 87% in 2022.

Democratic leaders continue to support marriage equality and LGBT rights across the country at both a state and federal level, and President Joe Biden has consistently recognized celebrations like Pride Month and Transgender Visibility Day using his office, despite criticism from conservative opponents.

Among independents, support for gay marriage has seen a more noticeable decline. Approval for same-sex marriage among independents fell to 68% in 2023, from 73% in 2021. Independents were also the only voting group to see an increase in support for gay marriage in 2023, when it rose to 77%.

Republican support for same-sex marriage has seen the most significant decline in recent years. The Gallup poll reported that only 49% of Republicans support same-sex marriage, a drop from 56% two years ago.

Like Democrats, Republican support for gay marriage peaked in 2022, only to decline steadily since then. 2023 marked the first time since 2020 that less that half of Republican voters supported same-sex marriage. Conservative leaders have been more vocal about their feelings on LGBT rights due to Pride Month, which is celebrated in June every year.

Before 2015, many states had legalized gay marriage in some form. In 2003, a ruling in the Massachusetts Supreme Court found that denying same-sex couples the right to marriage was a violation of the state constitution, leading the state to become the first in America to start recognizing gay marriage.

In 2008, several more states saw legislation that approved gay marriage, including California and Connecticut. This was also the first year that the Democratic National Convention decided to oppose the Defense of Marriage Act. By the end of 2014, 70% of Americans lived in states that allowed same-sex couples to be married.