According to research by NORC at Chicago University, the attitude of the public towards lesbians and gays are increasingly changing to reflect much acceptance, with younger populations leading the way. Some individuals are now supporting same-sex marriage. Citizens of America increasingly support fundamental freedom of expression as well as civil liberties for lesbians and gays, in contrast to a division on such matters in the 1970s. There is a trend towards more tolerance of homosexuality. Attitude changes may be because of the influence of younger generation, religious attendance, education, attitude towards the role of women as well as political identity. Over the last two decades, the increase in support for homosexuality has been specifically dramatic. In increased from eleven percent acceptance in 1988 to forty-six percent in 2010, in comparison to forty percent who were opposed, supplying a narrow plurality in favor for the first time. A General Social Survey carried in 2010 involving 2,000 individuals came up with those findings.
There is the existence of a vast generation gap regarding the issue of same sex marriage. Sixty-four percent of people under 30 years support homosexuality while twenty-seven percent of those above 70 years support it. As a consequence of the division in generations, the attitudes of the public are sharply divided on the matter. Even though forty-four percent of the persons surveyed held the belief that sexual relations between two consenting adults of the same sex are usually wrong, another forty-one percent felt that such relations were not morally wrong. Eleven percent of the people were in the middle believe that it was either “wrong only sometimes” or “almost always wrong (Harms, 2011).” Therefore, the opinion of the public is highly polarized on the issue of same sex marriages, with few individuals sharing the middle ground.
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The General Social Survey which has been carried out biennially four decades indicated a marked rise in support of some civil liberties for homosexuals. The support for an individual’s right to speak before the public increased from sixty-two percent in the 1970s to eighty-six percent in 2010. Also, support for allowing homosexuals to teach at Universities or Colleges rose from forty-eight percent in 1973 to eighty-four percent in 2010 and acceptance of having a library containing a book that supports homosexuality rose from fifty-four percent in the 1970s to seventy-eight percent in 2010. The figure shows that over the years, many people have accepted homosexuality and approved of same-sex relations.
The change towards accepting same-sex relationships started in the late 1980s after many years of remaining relatively constant. Seventy percent of the population in 1773 felt that homosexuality was wrong and in 1987, there was an increase in this number as seventy-five percent of the people held that idea. Nonetheless, by 2000, the number decreased to fifty-four percent, and by 2010, it had reduced to forty-three percent. Many states in America have now legalized same sex marriage (Decco, 2014). On average, Americans see homosexuality as both a political issue and moral issue and are likely to have different views for each. Some still believe that homosexuality is wrong and see it as an individual choice instead of an innate characteristic. Social movements and activism have emerged to champion the rights of gays and lesbians.
A decade ago, same-sex marriage generated deep divisions within the society of America. Many Americans did not favor giving legal recognition to lesbian and gay couples, and politicians seemed to play with the social issue as it suited their needs and requirements. Massachusetts became the first state in 2003 to give marriage licenses to homosexuals when its high court gave a ruling that withholding the recognition of marriage went against the constitution of the state. In 2004, President George W. Bush in the State of the Union called for an amendment to the Constitution of the federal government to stop same sex marriage in the country. The San Francisco mayor, Gavin Newsom gave his response a month later by allowing marriage to same-sex couples at the City hall of San Francisco. The policy did not stay for long as it was shut down by the courts, but it grabbed the attention of the media. The image of two grooms or two brides tying the knot appeared on the front pages of newspapers and TV screens.
By 2004, 11 states amended their constitutions to block same-sex marriages. In 2014, however, things took a different turn. President Barrack Obama openly affirmed his support for same-sex marriage during his 2012 re-election campaign, and less than one year later, the Supreme Court of the United States gave a ruling in the section of the government Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) unconstitutional. The bold move opened the channel for government recognition of same-sex marriage that had been carried out in “legal” states. Over the years, the attitude towards homosexuality has continued to change tremendously. It is not a case of older individuals with more conservative beliefs passing away and being dismissed by younger generations who are more liberal (Hull, 2014). Instead, this kind of drastic change shows that some people are changing their minds on the issue of same-sex marriage.
Many different factors have contributed to the change in attitude. According to a poll conducted in 2013, participants who said that they had changed their minds towards homosexuality were also asked about the reason behind it. Approximately a third of the respondents said that change had come via knowing a person who was gay, and a quarter credited the change to becoming older, thinking about the issue more and becoming more open minded. A smaller number of individuals cited the popularity and inevitability of same-sex marriage, the concept that every human being should have the freedom of choice without the interference of the government, or a common belief in rights that are equal.
Another factor that has largely contributed to changing views and perceptions is the increase in cultural visibility of relationships that involve same-sex couples and families headed by couples who are gay or lesbians. Twenty years ago, lesbian and gay characters were scarce in movies and television shows. In 1997, when Ellen DeGeneres came out as a lesbian, and her sitcom alters ego, it was a major news event in the country. A variety of TV stations did not want to air the first episode of her show. Nowadays, movies like Brokeback Mountain receive nominations for Best Picture Oscars. Also, characters of same-sex couples like Cam and Mitchell in the comedy, Modern family enjoy more attention for their foibles in parenting than their sexual orientation (Teeranee Techasrivichien, 2014). Visibility in culture familiarizes individuals, and for some people that growth in familiarity is adequate to soften opposition to same-sex marriage and rights of gay people.
In conclusion, attitudes towards sexual tolerance are continuing to change in America. Nowadays, many people do not mind same-sex marriages and are comfortable with the practice. Many states in America have now legalized same sex marriage. The attitude change has been caused by knowing people who are gay, becoming more open mind and the increase in cultural visibility of relationships that involve same-sex couples and families headed by couples who are gay or lesbians. Over the last forty years, there has been an increased tolerance towards same sex marriage. Many demographic factors affect the trend of greater acceptance of civil rights for homosexuals. Religion and education are critical factors that influence how an individual develops attitudes towards civil rights for homosexuals. Even though same sex marriage is considered an issue of civil rights, it also a morality issue for many people.
References
Decco, E. (2014). Changing Attitudes towards homesexuaity in the United States from 1977 to 2012. Brigham Young University , 50-60.
Harms, W. (2011, September 28). article/2011/09/28/americans-move-dramatically-toward-acceptance-homosexuality-survey-finds . Retrieved from https://news.uchicago.edu: https://news.uchicago.edu/article/2011/09/28/americans-move-dramatically-toward-acceptance-homosexuality-survey-finds
Hull, K. E. (2014, March 27). papers/same-sex-different-attitudes/ . Retrieved from https://thesocietypages.org: https://thesocietypages.org/papers/same-sex-different-attitudes/
Teeranee Techasrivichien, c. a. (2014). Changes in Sexual Behavior and Attitudes Across Generations and Gender Among a Population-Based Probability Sample From an Urbanizing Province in Thailand. Archives of Sexual Behavior , 367-382.
