A record number of American adults say
the relationships of gay men and lesbians are morally acceptable, a
new survey has found.
When New Jersey-based pollster Gallup
asked, “Do you personally believe gay or lesbian relations are
morally acceptable or morally wrong?” a majority (59%) of
respondents said “morally acceptable.” Thirty-eight percent said
such unions were “morally wrong.”
In publishing their findings, pollsters
noted that increasing awareness over gay rights, and in particular
marriage, may be affecting Americans' views on the issue.
Gallup's annual Values and Beliefs
survey, conducted May 2-7, also found more Americans believe that
being gay is not a choice.
“Currently, 47% of Americans view
being gay or lesbian as a sexual orientation individuals are born
with, while 33% instead believe it is due to external factors such as
upbringing or environment,” pollsters
wrote. “That 14-percent-point gap in favor of 'nature' over
'nurture' is the largest Gallup has measured to date. As recently as
two years ago, the public was evenly divided.”