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Religion and Public Opinion about Same‐Sex Marriage

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  • Laura R. Olson
  • Wendy Cadge
  • James T. Harrison

Abstract

Objective. The goal of this article is to analyze the relationship between religion, measured in terms of religious affiliation and religiosity, and public opinion about same‐sex marriage, civil unions, and a federal constitutional amendment that would prohibit gay marriage. Methods. We use logistic regression with calculated standardized coefficients to analyze data from a nationally representative survey of 1,610 respondents conducted in March–April 2004. Results. Religious variables perform better than demographic measures in models of attitudes about same‐sex unions. Non‐Protestants are much more likely to support same‐sex unions than are Protestants, and individuals with conservative attitudes toward morality and secularism and (to a lesser extent) those who participate actively in religious life are more likely to oppose such unions. On the whole, religious variables play a weaker role in predicting support for a constitutional amendment to prevent gay marriage than they do in predicting attitudes toward same‐sex unions. Conclusions. Religious variables play powerful roles in structuring attitudes about same‐sex unions. Moreover, homosexuality appears to be a major component of the “moral values” discourse that is currently so popular in American politics.

Suggested Citation

  • Laura R. Olson & Wendy Cadge & James T. Harrison, 2006. "Religion and Public Opinion about Same‐Sex Marriage," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 87(2), pages 340-360, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:socsci:v:87:y:2006:i:2:p:340-360
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1540-6237.2006.00384.x
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    Cited by:

    1. David A. Gay & John P. Lynxwiler & Patrick Smith, 2015. "Religiosity, Spirituality, and Attitudes Toward Same-Sex Marriage," SAGE Open, , vol. 5(3), pages 21582440156, August.
    2. Brian F. Harrison & Melissa R. Michelson, 2015. "God and Marriage: The Impact of Religious Identity Priming on Attitudes Toward Same-Sex Marriage," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 96(5), pages 1411-1423, November.
    3. Jackman, Mahalia, 2019. "Religion, contact and ambivalent attitudes towards the rights of gays and lesbians in Barbados," SocArXiv 528bt, Center for Open Science.
    4. Andrew L. Whitehead, 2014. "Politics, Religion, Attribution Theory, and Attitudes Toward Same-Sex Unions," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 95(3), pages 701-718, September.
    5. Parakhonyak, Alexey & Popov, Sergey V, 2019. "Same-Sex Marriage, The Great Equalizer," Cardiff Economics Working Papers E2019/2, Cardiff University, Cardiff Business School, Economics Section.
    6. Donald P. Haider‐Markel & Mark R. Joslyn, 2008. "Pulpits Versus Ivory Towers: Socializing Agents and Evolution Attitudes," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 89(3), pages 665-683, September.
    7. Arnold Fleischmann & Laura Moyer, 2009. "Competing Social Movements and Local Political Culture: Voting on Ballot Propositions to Ban Same‐Sex Marriage in the U.S. States," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 90(1), pages 134-149, March.
    8. Gouveia, Filipe & Nilsson, Therese & Berggren, Niclas, 2020. "Religiosity and discrimination against same-sex couples: The case of Portugal's rental market," Journal of Housing Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
    9. Robert Postic & Elizabeth Prough, 2014. "That’s Gay! Gay as a Slur Among College Students," SAGE Open, , vol. 4(4), pages 21582440145, November.
    10. Robert Andersen & Tina Fetner, 2008. "Economic Inequality and Intolerance: Attitudes toward Homosexuality in 35 Democracies," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 52(4), pages 942-958, October.
    11. Forman-Rabinovici, Aliza & Sommer, Udi, 2018. "An impediment to gender Equality?: Religion’s influence on development and reproductive policy," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 48-58.
    12. Wozniak, Kevin H. & Lewis, Andrew R., 2010. "Reexamining the effect of christian denominational affiliation on death penalty support," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 38(5), pages 1082-1089, September.
    13. Andrew L. Whitehead, 2010. "Sacred Rites and Civil Rights: Religion's Effect on Attitudes Toward Same‐Sex Unions and the Perceived Cause of Homosexuality," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 91(1), pages 63-79, March.
    14. Jay Barth & Janine Parry, 2009. "Political Culture, Public Opinion, and Policy (Non)Diffusion: The Case of Gay‐ and Lesbian‐Related Issues in Arkansas," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 90(2), pages 309-325, June.
    15. Darren E. Sherkat & Kylan Mattias De Vries & Stacia Creek, 2010. "Race, Religion, and Opposition to Same‐Sex Marriage," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 91(1), pages 80-98, March.

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