Around seven in ten U.S. adults said in a recent Gallup that they think same-sex marriage should be legal and have the same rights as heterosexual couples. LGBT+ rights have come a long way since 1996, when the polling organization first started polling the topic. Back then, only 27 percent of respondents said they thought that same-sex marriage should be recognized by the law as valid.
The latest figure, from a survey in May 2024, shows that 69 percent of respondents supported same-sex marriage. While still one of the highest rates since the question was first fielded, it also represents a dip from the 2023 peak of 71 percent. Stances on same-sex marriage vary by party leaning, with 83 percent of Democrats, 74 percent of independents and 46 percent of Republicans in favor of it. According to , although Republican support reached a majority twice, with 55 percent readings in 2021 and 2022, it has fallen below in the 50 percent mark in the past couple of years.
