Majority Supports Same-Sex Unions

A week after President Obama announced his personal support for same-sex marriage rights, a new CBS/New York Times poll shows that 38 percent of Americans believe gay couples should be allowed to marry, while another 24 percent support same-sex civil unions. Thirty-three percent of Americans feel there should be no legal recognition available for gay couples at all. It’s a strong showing, and the numbers demonstrate that support for marriage rights is strongest among the young, but also that acceptance of the idea among Americans has continued to increase over time. A full 53 percent of 18- to 44-year-olds surveyed said same-sex couples should be guaranteed full marriage rights under the law.