---
title: "Seven in 10 Young Adults Favor Same-Sex Marriage"
description: "Seven in 10 Americans born after 1980 believe gay men and lesbians should be able to marry legally."
date: "2013-05-06"
authors:
  - name: "Drew DeSilver"
    job_title: "Senior Writer/Editor"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/drew-desilver/"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2013/05/06/seven-in-10-young-adults-favor-same-sex-marriage/"
---

# Seven in 10 Young Adults Favor Same-Sex Marriage

Rhode Island last week became the 10th state to legalize same-sex marriage, and in Delaware, the state Senate is poised to take up a bill authorizing same-sex marriage that's already passed the state House. Legalization bills are pending in several other state legislatures (for a map showing the current status of same-sex marriage laws in all 50 states, click [here](https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/Gay-Marriage-and-Homosexuality/Same-Sex-Marriage-State-by-State.aspx)).

![](https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2013/03/3-20-13-1.png)

While support for same-sex marriage has risen sharply among all age groups compared to even a decade ago, so-called "Millennials" (people born after 1980) are by far the most likely to say gay men and lesbians should be able to marry legally. In a March survey by the Pew Research Center, fully 70% of Millennials said they supported same-sex marriage. The [report](https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2013/03/20/growing-support-for-gay-marriage-changed-minds-and-changing-demographics/) attributed much of the overall opinion shift to the arrival of that generation on the scene.

The attitudinal, generational and legislative shifts have combined to persuade many Americans -- even those who oppose same-sex marriage -- that it will inevitably be legal throughout the country. A [poll](http://www.lifeway.com/article/research-same-sex-marriage-civil-rights-issue-americans-say?cid=jdw-VOCUS) conducted this past November by LifeWay Research, an affiliate of the Southern Baptist Convention, found that 64% agreed that same-sex marriage eventually will be legal everywhere.