Less Opposition to Gays

Public acceptance of homosexuality has increased in a number of ways in recent years, though it remains a deeply divisive issue. And opposition to gay marriage has fallen across the board, with substantial declines even among Republicans. These are among the results of the latest national survey by the Pew Research Center conducted among 1,405 adults from March 8-12. According to the survey, a 60% majority now favors allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military, up from 52% in 1994, and 46% support gay adoption, up from 38% in 1999. Not surprisingly, the survey also finds that by a 58%-to-34% margin most Americans would oppose a national version of South Dakota's new law banning abortion in all cases unless the mother's life is endangered.