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A new Gallup poll reveals that Americans’ support for LGBTQ+ issues has plateaued and begun to slide backward, with fewer Americans favoring same-sex marriage or viewing gay relationships as morally acceptable.
The survey, released Wednesday, finds while a majority of Americans (65%) still support legal same-sex marriage, that figure has dropped six percentage points from its peak in 2022 and 2023. Meanwhile, moral acceptance of gay and lesbian relationships has dipped to 62%, which Gallup says is its lowest point since 2016.
Public acceptance of gender transition has experienced an even steeper decline over the last five years. Today, just 38% of Americans believe changing one’s gender is morally acceptable, down eight points since 2021, while a 57% majority view it as morally wrong.
The cultural shift is largely driven by Republicans and, to a lesser extent, independents, while Democrats’ views on LGBTQ issues have remained steady, Gallup says.
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A supporter holds a rainbow flag aloft as new polling indicates U.S. public opinion on LGBTQ+ issues has begun to edge downward from its recent peak. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
The partisan shift is clearly seen on attitudes towards same-sex marriage. Among Republicans, support for legal same-sex marriage has plummeted to 37%, down from the 55% majority recorded in 2021-2022.
Independents also saw a six-point drop to 67%, while Democrats have held steady at 87% since 2022.
A similar pattern emerged on views on the morality of same-sex relationships. Among Republicans, acceptance fell 21 points to 35%, falling to levels not seen since 2005-2014. Independents’ had an eight-point decline, dropping to 64% while there was no meaningful change among Democrats, at 81%.
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Another stark contrast is seen on the issue of gender transition. Just 5% of Republicans view changing one’s gender as morally acceptable, compared to 42% of independents and 60% of Democrats. Gallup noted that Republicans’ support for this issue has steadily declined since 2021, but independents and Democrats’ attitudes had held steady until a sudden drop in support this year.
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A new poll reveals that conservative opposition to diversity initiatives has driven Republican acceptance of LGBTQ+ issues down significantly. (Chandan Khanna/AFP)
The survey results were gathered from Gallup’s annual Values and Beliefs survey conducted in early May.
While Americans have become more supportive of gay marriage over the past 20 years, support has dropped marginally every year since 2024.
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Similarly, moral approval of gay and lesbian relations rose from 40% in 2001 to 71% in 2022, before a sharp drop to 64% in 2023, where it has since plateaued.
Gallup framed the declining support for LGBTQ issues in recent years as a result of conservative pushback against diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives (DEI) intended to foster acceptance of LGBTQ+ individuals and other historically marginalized groups.
