Support
for marriage equality has increased by 21 points over the last eight
years, according to a new Hart/McInturff poll for NBC News/Wall Street Journal.
The bipartisan poll shows support for marriage equality at 51 percent,
up significantly from 30 percent in 2004 and 41 percent in 2009. The
survey is just the latest in a series of polls illustrating the growing
momentum for marriage equality. A November Gallup poll found that 53
percent of Americans support committed gay and lesbian couples getting
married, while a recent Washington Post/ABC News survey also found majority support.
“The massive increase in support we’ve seen for marriage equality in
the last few years is nothing short of historic,” said Human Rights
Campaign President Chad Griffin. “Americans are sending a clear message
that supporting freedom and equality for their LGBT friends, family
members and neighbors is just common-sense, and the right thing to do.
The clear wins in all four states on Election Day bear this out and we
expect more victories as LGBT Americans, their family and friends
continue to share their stories.”
Last month, for the first time ever, voters in Maine, Maryland, and
Washington State approved marriage equality; while voters in Minnesota
soundly rejected a proposed constitutional amendment that would have
banned same-sex couples from marrying. The Hart/McInturff poll found
increased support for marriage equality at the state level, with 55
percent of voters saying they would support a marriage equality law
passed in their state.
Forty percent of those surveyed opposed allowing same-sex couples to
marry, down significantly from 62 percent in 2004, according to the
poll. In a testament to the power of personal stories, 60 percent of
those supporting marriage equality reported knowing someone who is gay.
Of those opposing marriage equality, only 31 percent reported even
knowing a gay or lesbian person – while nearly 60 percent said they
didn’t know any.
HRC reported yesterday
that pro-equality supporters fighting for marriage equality in Maine,
Maryland, Minnesota, and Washington State this year raised more than $34
million from mostly small donors. The opposition, meanwhile, raised
just $12 million – nearly two-thirds of which came from the National
Organization for Marriage (NOM) and the Roman Catholic Church. In fact,
NOM saw a steep one-third decline in contributions in 2011, with two
mysterious donors providing 75 percent of the organization’s funding.
“As momentum increases for equality, groups like NOM that are blatantly
anti-LGBT are going to have greater difficulty raising money and
remaining viable. It’s simply no longer acceptable to associate with
groups that make discriminating against Americans their primary
mission,” added Griffin.