Status of same-sex marriages (SSM) and civil unions:
By 2010-MAY, same-sex marriages were only available in
5 states and the District of Columbia. However, six states allowed same-sex couples to enter into civil unions or domestic partnerships. In the U.S., these couples
received all of the rights, privileges, and obligations that their state gives to
married couples, but are currently denied about 1,050 federal
benefits. The current status of same-sex marriage and civil unions is shown
in a separate essay.
In mid-2015, the U.S. Supreme Court issued their ruling in the case Obergefell v. Hodges. It legalized gay marriages throughout the U.S. with the exception of the territory of American Samoa. Most people there are American residents and not American citizens. Thus rulings by the High Court are not necessarily applicable there.
Gallup Organization poll data 1996 to 2003:
The Gallup Organization has been polling the public since 1996
about
same-sex marriages and civil unions. For most
polls, they asked the question:
"Suppose that on election day this year you could vote on key issues as well as candidates. Please tell me whether you would vote for or against each one of the following propositions.
Would you vote...For or against a law that would allow homosexual couples to legally form civil unions, giving them some of the legal rights of married couples."
In 2001 they asked a slightly different question:
"Would you favor or oppose a law that would allow homosexual couples to legally form civil unions, giving them some of the legal rights of married couples?"
Their 2003 survey involved 1,005 randomly selected adults. The margin of error was ~+mn~3.2%. 1 Results were:
Date
Favor unions
Oppose unions
No opinion
1996-APR
28%
67%
5%
2000-OCT
42
54
4
2001-MAY
44
52
4
2002-FEB
41
53
6
2002-APR
45
46
9
2002-MAY
46
51
3
2003-MAY
49
49
2
By early 2003-MAY, the Gallup results country was equally divided between those favoring and those opposing civil
unions for gays and lesbians. This is a legislators' nightmare; no matter what
they do -- or if they do nothing -- they will have massive numbers of voters
angry at them. The momentum clearly was in the direction
of a clear majority of American adults favoring unions in the near future. Further,
the percentage of adults with no
opinion has steadily dropped.
Results of a similar poll by the Washington Post were
announced on 2003-AUG-14. Three unusual events had occurred between the
May and August polls:
The
Episcopal Church, USA confirmed the election of a gay bishop who
is in a committed relationship, and allowed their congregations to
decide whether to bless same-sex relationships.
Perhaps because of these developments, there was a precipitous drop
of 12% in support for civil unions.
They asked: "Do you strongly favor, favor, oppose, or strongly oppose
allowing gay and lesbian couples to enter into legal agreements with each other
that would give them many of the same rights as married couples?" 4
The question was similar to that asked by the Gallup Organization above,
except that "legal agreements" replaced "civil unions" and "many of the same
rights" replaced "some of the legal rights."
Date
Favor unions
Oppose unions
No opinion
Margin
2003-OCT
45%
47%
8%
-02%
2004-MAR
49
44
7
+05%
2004-JUL
49
43
8
06
2004-AUG
48
45
7
03
2005-JUL
53
40
7
13
2006-JUL
54
42
4
12
2008-MAY
51
41
8
10
2008-AUG
54
40
6
14
2009-APR
53
39
8
14
2009-AUG
57
37
6
20
Equal numbers of American adults appear to have supported and opposed civil
unions during early 2004. There has been a steady trend of more support for civil unions
ever since. Still, the current level of support would probably have been insufficient
to assure passage of a proposition or plebiscite until later in the decade. That is because:
A statistically designed survey among randomly selected adults gives a
reasonably correct estimate of the percentages who are for and against civil
unions, with a predictable accuracy.
A plebiscite or proposition only represents the wishes of those who are
sufficiently motivated to get out and vote. It is well known that, on
average, those who oppose benefits to same-sex couples are far more
passionate about restricting rights than those who favor benefits have
enthusiasm about granting rights.
Past events in the states where same-sex marriage (SSM) has been heavily promoted have shown that when SSM comes close to being implemented,much of the opposition switches to promote same-sex civil unions as a referred option to SSM. We may be seeing the same effect in the results of the Pew Forum polls. As SSM became legalized in Iowa and some New England states, national opposition to SSM may have switched to supporting civil unions.
Gallup Organization poll data in 2017:
The percentage of LGBT adults in same-sex civil unions and domestic partnerships was 12.8% in mid-2015 before the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that legalized same-sex marriages across the U.S.
Probably, many couples in civil unions or domestic partnerships at the time really preferred to be married. Many took advantage of the High Court ruling quickly. Two years later, in 2017-JUN, the percentage of LGBT couples in unions and partnersips had declined to 6.6% and the percentage of married LGBT adults had risen from 7.9% to 10.2%. 5
References used:
The following information sources were used to prepare and update the above
essay. The hyperlinks are not necessarily still active today.
"Six out of 10 Americans Say Homosexual Relations Should Be
Recognized as Legal
But Americans are evenly divided on issue of legal civil unions between
homosexuals giving them the legal rights of married couples," The
Gallup Organization, 2003-MAY-15, at:
http://www.gallup.com/poll/releases/
*
"New Poll: Majority of Americans are Defenders of Marriage,"
Family Research Council, Washington Update, 2003-AUG-14.
Richard Mornin & Alan Cooperman, "Poll shows strong disapproval of religious sanctioning of same-sex relationships,"
Washington Post, 2003-AUG-14, at:
http://www.ajc.com/