Support for gay marriage has declined, to 65 percent from a high of 71 percent four years ago, according to a recent poll from Gallup.
Republicans, especially, have done an about-face on the issue. In 2022, a majority of them — 55 percent — said same-sex marriages should be valid. That number now stands at 37 percent, back to levels last seen more than 10 years ago. The drop, according to Gallup, has been most stark among Republican men.
Political independents also experienced a six percentage point decline. Democratic support remains unchanged at 87 percent.
Support for trans rights has also gone south, according to Gallup.
In 2021, roughly half of all Americans said changing genders was morally acceptable. That number declined to 38 percent.
Republicans are again responsible for much of this gravitational pull. Just 5 percent now say changing genders is morally acceptable, down from 22 percent in 2021. Among independents, support fell to 42 percent from 48 percent.
A majority of Democrats still say changing genders is acceptable, but support is also less robust: 60 percent now say it is morally acceptable, down from 67 percent in 2021.
The Times will occasionally feature polling that illustrates how Americans are feeling about the issues of the day. The numbers come from high-quality polls with a record for accuracy and rigorous methods.
