Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
In order to understand the language and ideas used by supporters and opponents of same-sex marriage, Pew Research tracked the presence of specific arguments in news stories and commentary. Supporters largely framed the issue as a question of civil rights and equality. In the main news media studied, nearly half (49%) of the stories on […]
Most Americans say they are not personally bothered being around gays and lesbians. Currently, 82% say “it doesn’t bother them to be around homosexuals,” while 14% say it does. This is only modestly changed from a decade ago, when there was far less acceptance of homosexuality generally. In October 2003, 76% said it did not […]
About This Study A number of people at the Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism worked on Pew Research’s “News Coverage Conveys Strong Momentum for Same-Sex Marriage.” Senior Researcher Paul Hitlin, Acting Director Amy Mitchell and Associate Director Mark Jurkowitz and wrote the report. Coding and data analysis were conducted by Researchers Steve […]
Overview The rise in support for same-sex marriage over the past decade is among the largest changes in opinion on any policy issue over this time period. A new national survey finds that much of the shift is attributable to the arrival of a large cohort of young adults – the Millennial generation – who […]