June 19, 2008

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Adults in the United States hold differing views on the topic of same-sex marriage, according to a poll by CBS News. 36 per cent of respondents think there should be no legal recognition of a gay couple’s relationship, 30 per cent believe homosexuals should be permitted to legally marry, and 28 per cent would allow them to form civil unions.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Adults in the United States hold differing views on the topic of same-sex marriage, according to a poll by CBS News. 36 per cent of respondents think there should be no legal recognition of a gay couple’s relationship, 30 per cent believe homosexuals should be permitted to legally marry, and 28 per cent would allow them to form civil unions.

In 2004, marriage certificates were issued to same-sex couples by local governments in the states of California, Oregon, New Mexico and New York. In May 2004, the state of Massachusetts allowed gay and lesbian partners to apply for marriage licenses.

Civil union and domestic partnership laws in Vermont, Connecticut and New Jersey grant same-sex couples all state-level rights and obligations of marriage—in areas such as inheritance, income tax, insurance and hospital visitation. Other forms of domestic partnership exist in the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maine, New Hampshire and Washington State. There are more than 1,000 federal-level rights of marriage that cannot be granted by states.

Same-sex marriage is currently legal in the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Canada, and South Africa. Norway will allow homosexual couples to get married in 2009. At least 18 countries offer some form of legal recognition to same-sex unions.

In May, California’s Supreme Court overturned a ban on same-sex marriage in a 4-3 decision, effectively allowing full marriage rights to homosexual partners.

Earlier this month, Randy Thomasson, founder of the Campaign for Children and Families, discussed the possibility of amending the state’s constitution in order to only acknowledge marriages between a man and a woman, adding, "The people know now that they can vote to protect marriage licenses and restore some honour to marriage again."

Polling Data

Which comes closest to your view?

	Jun. 2008	Mar. 2007
Gay couples should be allowed to legally marry	30%	28%
Gay couples should be allowed to form civil unions but not legally marry	28%	32%
There should be no legal recognition of a gay couple’s relationship	36%	35%
Not sure	6%	5%

Source: CBS News
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,038 American adults, conducted from May 30 to Jun. 3, 2008. Margin of error is 3 per cent.