(CPOD) Jul. 26, 2004 - Support for the legal recognition for same-sex partners remains steady in the United States, according to a poll by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press. 32 per cent of respondents say gay and lesbian couples should be allowed to legally marry, while 56 per cent disagree.

Marriage certificates were issued to same-sex couples by local governments in the states of California, Oregon, New Mexico and New York earlier this year. On May 17, the state of Massachusetts allowed gay and lesbian partners to apply for marriage licenses, the first state-sanctioned homosexual weddings in the U.S.

Civil unions—currently available only in the state of Vermont—give gay and lesbian partners some of the legal rights of married couples such as inheritance, insurance and hospital visiting privileges. 49 per cent of respondents support this concept, while 43 per cent do not.

On Jul. 10 in his traditional radio address, U.S. president George W. Bush renewed his call for a federal constitutional amendment to block such unions, saying that "American democracy, not court orders, should decide the future of marriage in America." On Jul. 14, the U.S. Senate voted 50 to 48 to end deliberations on the issue.

Polling Data

Do you strongly favour, favour, oppose, or strongly oppose allowing gays and lesbians to marry legally?

Do you strongly favour, favour, 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?

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