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ROCHESTER, N.Y. – April 14, 2004 – Eight
years ago, The Harris Poll found that very large 5-to-1
majorities opposed same-sex marriage. Now, a new Harris
Poll finds that many more people approve of them,
although those who disapprove still outnumber those
who approve by 2-to-1. When it comes to a choice between
allowing same-sex marriages, civil unions or neither,
the public divides very approximately into thirds,
with 35% saying “neither,” 31% favoring
civil unions and 27% favoring marriage.
These are some of the results of a survey by Harris
Interactive® conducted among 3,698 U.S. adults
surveyed online between March 18 and 29, 2004.
Some of the key findings in this research are:
§ A 50% to 27% plurality disapproves of same-sex
marriage between two women. However, this is substantially
less than the 55% to 16% majority who felt this way
in 2000 and the even larger 63% to 11% majority in
1996.
§ An almost identical 51% to 26% majority disapproves
of same-sex marriage between two men. Again, this
is a big change from the 57% to 15% majority who felt
this way in 2000 and the 64% to 10% majority who held
this opinion in 1996.
§ Unsurprisingly the attitudes of people who
themselves are gay, lesbian or bisexual are very different.
Seventy-one percent of them (compared to only 24%
of heterosexuals) think that same-sex couples should
be allowed to marry, as opposed to having only a civil
union or neither of these.
§ Those who favor allowing same-sex marriage
increases somewhat when people are asked how they
would feel if their own sons or daughters were gay
or lesbian. Under these circumstances 36% would want
their child to be allowed to have a same-sex marriage,
compared to 48% who would not.
§ In response to another question, 41% of adults
agree that “not allowing same-sex couples to
marry goes against a fundamental American right that
all people should be treated equally,” while
47% disagree.
In reviewing these data, one is tempted to write
that “if these trends continue, then in five
or ten years time, we may have a majority who support
same-sex marriages.” However, there is no strong
reason to believe that this trend will continue. Attitudes
to same-sex marriage will surely change in response
to events and media coverage of this issue.
Who should decide?
The public is split down the middle as to whether
decisions about same-sex marriage should be determined
by the federal government (40%) or by the states (41%).
Most people (65%), but by no means everybody, understand
that currently state governments determine the legality
of same-sex marriage.
TABLE 1
APPROVE OR DISAPPROVE OF SINGLE-SEX MARRIAGES
“How do you feel about so-called same-sex marriages,
between two men or two women? Specifically, would
you say you approve or disapprove or don’t feel
strongly about the issue?”
Base: All Adults
Approve Disapprove Don’t Feel Strongly Don’t
Know/
Refused
Same-sex marriages between two women 2004 % 27 50
19 4
2000 % 16 55 26 2
1996 % 11 63 25 2
Same-sex marriages between two men 2004 % 26 51 18
4
2000 % 15 57 24 4
1996 % 10 64 24 2
NOTE: In the 1996 and 2000 surveys, the words “single
sex” were used. In this new survey this was
changed to “same-sex.”
Percentages may not add up exactly due to rounding.
TABLE 2
MARRIAGE, CIVIL UNION OR NEITHER?
“Do you think that same-sex couples should
be . . . ?”
Base: All Adults
Total Sexual Orientation
GLBT Heterosexual
% % %
Allowed to marry 27 71 24
Allowed to have civil unions with all the same rights
of a married couple but not call it marriage 31 25
32
Neither of these 35 4 37
Not sure 7 1 7
Note: Percentages may not add up exactly due to rounding.
TABLE 3
AGREE/DISAGREE WITH TWO STATEMENTS ON SAME-SEX MARRIAGE
“Please indicate whether you agree or disagree
with the following statements.”
Base: All Adults
Agree Disagree Don’t Know/
Refused
If my son or daughter were gay or lesbian, I would
want him or her to be able to legally marry his or
her same-sex partner % 36 48 16
Not allowing same-sex couples to marry goes against
a fundamental American right that all people should
be treated equally % 41 47 12
TABLE 4
WHO DECIDES: STATE OR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT?
“Do you know if laws related to the governing
of marriage are customarily determined by state governments
or the federal government?”
Base: All Adults
Total
%
State government 65
Federal government 10
Not sure 26
Note: Percentages may not add up exactly due to rounding.
TABLE 5
WHO SHOULD DECIDE? STATE OR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
“Do you think laws related to same-sex marriage
or civil unions should be determined by the federal
government or state laws?”
Base: All Adults
Total
%
It should be determined by the federal government
40
It should be determined by state laws 41
Not sure 19
Methodology
The Harris Poll® was conducted online within
the United States between March 18 and 29, 2004 among
a nationwide cross section of 3,698 adults (18+) of
whom 231 self-identified as gay, lesbian, bisexual
or transgender (GLBT). Figures for age, sex, race,
education, region and household income were weighted
where necessary to bring them into line with their
actual proportions in the population. "Propensity
score" weighting was also used to adjust for
respondents’ propensity to be online.
In theory, with probability samples of this size,
one could say with 95 percent certainty that the results
have a statistical precision of plus or minus 2 percentage
points of what they would be if the entire adult population
had been polled with complete accuracy. Statistical
precision of the GLBT sample is plus or minus 7 percentage
points. Unfortunately, there are several other possible
sources of error in all polls or surveys that are
probably more serious than theoretical calculations
of sampling error. They include refusals to be interviewed
(non-response), question wording and question order,
and weighting. It is impossible to quantify the errors
that may result from these factors. This online sample
is not a probability sample.
These statements conform to the principles of disclosure
of the National Council on Public Polls.
About Harris Interactive®
Harris Interactive (www.harrisinteractive.com) is
a worldwide market research and consulting firm best
known for The Harris Poll®, and for pioneering
the Internet method to conduct scientifically accurate
market research. Headquartered in Rochester, New York,
Harris Interactive combines proprietary methodologies
and technology with expertise in predictive, custom
and strategic research. The Company conducts international
research from its U.S. offices and through wholly
owned subsidiaries—London-based HI Europe (www.hieurope.com),
Paris-based Novatris and Tokyo-based Harris Interactive
Japan—as well as through the Harris Interactive
Global Network of independent market- and opinion-research
firms.
Source: Harris Poll Online
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