Support For Same-sex Marriage Research Articles

Heterosexist system justification: Identity and ideology explain variability in sexual minorities’ opposition to homophobia and support for LGBTQ+ rights

We hypothesized that because politically conservative ideology legitimizes the status quo—including heteronormative institutions and arrangements—it should be negatively associated with in-group identification, opposition to homophobia, and support for LGBTQ+ rights among sexual minorities. These hypotheses, which were derived from system justification theory, were assessed in large US samples of sexual minority respondents. In Study 1 (N = 4,530) and Study 2 (N = 1,107), we observed that more conservative sexual minorities expressed weaker sexual identification, and, relatedly, less support for same-sex marriage and adoption and other rights and privileges, as well as less participation in collective action in favor of LGBTQ+ rights. In Study 3 (N = 446), heterosexist system justification was associated with decreased sexual identification and support for LGBTQ+ rights. In all studies, identity and ideology accounted for unique variance in support for vs. opposition to LGBTQ+ rights. Implications for the politics of sexual identity and collective action among disadvantaged groups are discussed.

Legislators’ Religiosity and Same-Sex Marriage in Latin America

AbstractSame-sex marriage has risen to the top of political agendas across Latin America, but it is still illegal in many countries. Public support about the issue varies greatly, and the roles of the courts, presidents, and legislatures have also differed. This article focuses on legislators because they are charged with representing the public and converting demands into policy. Although many legislatures have now voted on the issue, the literature has not intensively examined the policy makers’ attitudes toward same-sex marriage. This study applies a theoretical framework that extends theories considering context and social contact and uses a survey of the region’s legislators to study the correlates of support for same-sex marriage. Although the study also tests for individual-level variables (e.g., gender and ideology), the models focus on the contextual role of religiosity. The results show that having more secular colleagues encourages even pious legislators to support same-sex marriage.

Psychological and demographic predictors of support for same-sex marriage: an Australian survey

ABSTRACT Marriage equality has been a topic of political debate worldwide, with several countries legalising marriage between two consenting adults regardless of sex or gender since the early 2000s. In 2017, Australia legalised marriage equality through the Marriage Amendment (Definition and Religious Freedoms) Act 2017. This decision followed a voluntary postal survey open to adult citizens to gauge public support for marriage equality. Although marriage equality was legislated, there is a need to understand community attitudes in order to promote safe environments for all citizens. Our study investigated demographic, personality characteristics, and social factors predictive of both attitudes towards marriage equality and response to the postal survey. Data were obtained from 250 Australian respondents through an anonymous online survey. Participants held positive attitudes towards marriage equality and 82% had returned a survey in favour of marriage equality. Attitudes towards LGBTQ+ people, sex, sexuality, geographic location, religious fundamentalism, social political conservatism, degree of comfort with gay and lesbian people, attitudes to marriage and marriage gender roles, gender role beliefs, general empathy, empathy towards same sex attracted people, and right-wing authoritarianism predicted attitudes to marriage equality and/or survey response. Findings suggest that increasing empathy towards and contact with LGBTQ+ people may increase more positive attitudes towards LGBTQ+ people and marriage equality.

Are Shifts in Same-Sex Marriage Attitudes Associated With Declines in Religious Behavior and Affiliation?

The anti-LGBTQ politics of the Religious Right has been implicated as one of the critical forces promoting the rise of disaffiliation from religion. The association seems plain given the rapid rise of the nones among younger cohorts of Americans – a group which also holds the most pro-LGBTQ attitudes. However, little work actually tests the link between shifting attitudes on same-sex marriage and declining religious behavior and affiliation. Drawing on the Portraits of American Life Panel study with waves in 2006 and 2012, we use appropriate measures to document the religious effects of changing views on same-sex marriage. We find that while shifting views did have a negative effect on church attendance and affiliation, these effects were not limited to shifts toward support for same-sex marriage and were not limited to liberals.

New Media and Support for Same-Sex Marriage

Research in advanced industrialized democracies on social attitudes toward same-sex marriage suggests that intergroup social contact and positive media coverage play an important role in promoting tolerance and support for same-sex marriage. Using AmericasBarometer survey data for eighteen countries in 2010, 2012, and 2014, this article examines the ways in which individual-level Internet use interacts with news exposure, country-level quality of democracy, Internet penetration, and their association with support for same-sex marriage. The results suggest that not only is Internet use associated with greater support for same-sex marriage, but that among those who both use the Internet and pay more attention to the news, the positive effects are amplified. In addition, national level of democracy, economic development, and Internet use are also associated with overall higher probabilities of supporting same-sex marriage. We find that Internet use has a strong positive association with the probability of supporting same-sex marriage as the percentage of the national population on the Internet increases. These findings extend our understanding of social and political tolerance of same-sex marriage in Latin America.

Same-Sex Marriage and the Catholic Church in Europe. Any Chance for Understanding?

Abstract There is room for everyone in the Catholic Church, but there is no consent for same-sex marriage in that Church as marriage only between a baptized man and a woman is a sacrament. Same-sex marriage is inconsistent with the Holy Scripture where marriage is based on God’s natural law. This official Scripture’s interpretation results in lack of possibility to reconciliate the official teaching of the Church with the recognition of same-sex marriage. The world is moving forward and so are the opinions of Christians and their growing support for same-sex marriage. Such marriage is recognized in thirty states worldwide, including states with dominant Catholic religion. Regardless the official teaching, the Catholic Church’s position is not uniform. The paper discusses the official interpretation of the Scripture concerning homosexuals, analyses the position of the Catholic Church toward same-sex marriage and indicates differences in Christians’ attitudes with respect to same-sex couples in Western and Eastern Europe.

Receptivity to different types of migrants in Taiwan: Civic behavior and support for same-sex marriage as novel correlates

In an era of rising global intra-regional migration, in-depth explorations of attitudes toward immigrants and immigration (ATII) in emerging migrant-receiving societies in Asia are scarce. Using Taiwan as a case of an emerging non-Western, democratic migrant-receiving context with a racially homogeneous population, aging social structure, and vibrant civic culture, this is the first study to examine receptivity to three major migrant types. The study contributes to the ATII literature and sociological research through discovering something old (perceived group threat of foreign professionals and labor migrants at the individual level), something new (link between positive attitudes toward same-sex marriage and higher receptivity to blue-collar migrants), something borrowed (civic behavior), and something context-specific (effect of the high visibility of marriage immigrants in certain places on receptivity). This study highlights the importance of uncovering patterns and mechanisms of nativity-, ethnicity-, and class-based foreigner exclusionism in emerging non-Western migrant destinations. The findings on receptivity toward intra-Asia migrants in a 21st-century Asian society illuminate possibilities for reinventing theories on the social organization of difference and the socio-cognitive construction of ethnicity, with broader relevance to inter-minority relations among Asians in traditional Western immigrant societies.

A national survey of HIV knowledge, sexual practices and attitude towards homosexuality for HIV elimination among young people in China.

The face-to-face survey was conducted from June to August 2017, collecting data on sociodemographic characteristics, HIV-related knowledge, attitudes towards homosexuality and practice of sexual behaviours among Chinese senior high school and university students. A generalised linear model (GLM) was used to assess the different levels of HIV knowledge between groups, and identify the key contributors to HIV knowledge scores. The survey was completed by 73.6% (1355/1840) of the students approached. The overall level of HIV-related knowledge was low (58.9%, 10.6/18); 48.0% (650/1355) supported same-sex marriage; and 6.9% (93/1355) self-identified as homosexual or bisexual. The major factors associated with higher scores [mean ± standard deviation (s.d.)] in HIV knowledge among students included: having received school-based HIV education (11.47 ± 3.51 vs 9.02 ± 4.14, P < 0.05); support for same-sex marriage (11.69 ± 3.33 vs 9.49 ± 4.29, P < 0.05) and older age (11.61 ± 2.78 vs 9.87 ± 4.17, P < 0.05). Compared with females, males were significantly more likely (all P < 0.05) to report masturbation (60.7% vs 7.6%), pornography experiences (77.4% vs 35.3%), sexual encounters (24.6% vs 12.3%), casual sex (37.0% vs 18.1%) and sex under the influence of alcohol (29.5% vs 12.8%). There is is still much room for improvement in terms of HIV/AIDS prevention and health education for Chinese young people, and more comprehensive and diverse models of education for HIV prevention are urgently needed.

Us versus Them: The Debates on the Legislation of Same-Sex Marriage (1994 – 2015) in Taiwan

ABSTRACT Taiwan, the first country in Asia to provide same-sex couples a legal right to marriage, has witnessed furious debate on both sides. To understand this debate, we combined content analysis and the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) method to capture themes and states of mind reflected in the news articles. Arguments based in human rights and reflecting heterosexual preferences which were observed elsewhere also dominated the discourses in Taiwan. First-person pronouns, positive and negative emotions, and differentiation were found to be associated with rights discourses and, in turn, support for same-sex marriage. The themes, the state of mind of the involved parties, and same-sex marriage legalization are further discussed.

Unpacking the Roles of Religion and Partisanship on Support for Same-Sex Marriage: Evidence from South Korea

We ask to what extent opposition to same-sex marriage in South Korea is driven by Protestant identification and how this differs from Catholic and non-Christian views. Furthermore, is there a separate demographic, partisan or ideological influence beyond that captured by religious identity? Analysis of the 2016 Korean General Social Survey (KGSS) data finds not only clear perceptual distinctions between Protestants versus Buddhists and Catholics, but that partisan distinctions endure, even after controlling for the more popular non-LGBT-specific anti-discrimination legislation. In addition, younger and female respondents were more supportive of legalization, while education did not have the same effect as in the broader LGBT literature.

Rejecting equality: Psychological differences between Australian sexual minority men voting “yes,” voting “no,” or abstaining from voting on the legalization of same-sex marriage.

In 2017, Australians voted on the legalization of same-sex marriage. Whereas most sexual minority individuals voted in support of same-sex marriage (Yes), some abstained from voting, and a small minority voted against same-sex marriage (No). The present study examined the psychological differences between these three groups in a sample of sexual minority men (N = 1,005). Participants completed a survey assessing their vote in the Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey along with their internalized homonegativity, religiosity, political orientation, gay identification, and perceived discrimination. Results indicated that, relative to Yes voters, those who abstained from voting or voted No were higher in internalized homonegativity, higher in religiosity, more politically conservative, lower in gay identification, and perceived less discrimination. Implications of these results are discussed.

Perceived Attitudes Toward Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual (LGB) Issues and Mental Health Among Taiwanese LGB Adults: The Mediating Role of Self-Acceptance.

Research on structural stigma has associated the poor mental health status among lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) people with discriminatory institutions. Yet, less is known about the role of LGB adults' perceptions of social attitudes toward LGB issues. Moreover, the psychological mediation framework posits LGB people's self-acceptance as a mediator between a stigmatizing environment and individual mental health. This study investigated: (a) how perceived attitudes toward LGB issues from different social realms (society, heterosexual friends, and family members) were associated with LGB people's mental health; and (b) whether self-acceptance mediated the effects of perceived attitudes. In this cross-sectional study, 1527 Taiwanese LGB adults (812 men; 715 women) aged between 20 and 62years were recruited via Facebook to complete an online survey. The majority of respondents self-identified as homosexual (1129) and 399 as bisexual. The survey consisted of assessment of respondents' mental health and questions to rate individual self-acceptance and perceptions of social attitudes. Path analysis showed that self-acceptance partially mediated the association between mental health and perceived societal acceptance of homosexuality and fully mediated the effect of perceptions of friends' acceptance of homosexuality on mental health. Self-acceptance fully mediated the effects of perceived support for same-sex marriage from friends and families. This research yielded evidence about the interplay between perceived social stigma, self-acceptance, and mental health, particularly in the context of public debate about same-sex marriage. The effects of public discourse about sexual diversity and marriage equality on LGB adults' mental health should be addressed by affirmative policies and practices.

Is Ellen DeGeneres a “DeGenerate?”: How TV’s First Out Lesbian Connects to Public Support for Same-Sex Marriage

This study examines media treatment of Ellen DeGeneres over a 26-year period, focusing on how she served as a surrogate for the same-sex marriage debate during that time. The study suggests that coverage of DeGeneres followed a similar path to that of a protest group, challenging the status quo, and therefore, suffering critical and negative treatment from media. Findings indicated that even after common gender-related variables such as female sources and mentions were controlled, the major contributing variable was the level of public support for same-sex marriage. Implications for both protest-related literature and scholarship on public opinion were discussed.

EXAMINING THE ROLE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF EMERGING SOCIAL NEWS OUTLETS AND THEIR ADVOCACY JOURNALISM IN THE 2017 AUSTRALIAN SAME-SEX MARRIAGE POSTAL SURVEY

This paper examines emerging news forms and journalistic practices within Australia that are native to social media. It argues that these shared forms and practices constitute a new genre of ‘social news’. Social news embodies specific kinds of platform vernaculars and pop-cultural sensibilities, and challenges journalistic norms of ‘objectivity’ and ‘balance’ by consistently adopting an overtly positioned perspective. Three Australian-based outlets are studied through this conceptual lens: BuzzFeedOz News, Junkee Media, and Pedestrian.tv. Using digital tools alongside manual methods, this paper investigates the role and significance of these outlets on Twitter and Facebook during the August-November 2017 same-sex marriage postal survey. The survey was commissioned by the incumbent conservative Liberal-National Australian government to gauge nationwide support for same-sex marriage. During the survey, social news outlets played an advocacy and activist role. These outlets refrained from publishing provocative ‘No’ op-eds, and Junkee Media and Pedestrian.tv actively encouraged readers to enrol and vote ‘Yes’. Preliminary findings indicate that social news outlets were moderately-to-highly visible on Twitter during the postal survey period. On Facebook, advocacy posts received low-to-moderate levels of engagement. These findings indicate a shifting but not yet transformed Australian news ecology. In addition, social news’ eschewing of ‘balance’ indicates a challenge from emerging outlets to traditional journalistic norms in Australia. Significantly, in this case the challenge comes from outlets that intelligently critique the value in publishing both sides. Overall, this research highlights that disruptions from social media platforms and cultures can be sources of positive potential for news and journalistic practice.

Increased Support for Same-sex Marriage in the US: Disentangling Age, Period, and Cohort Effects

ABSTRACT Previous research established a substantial increase in support for same-sex marriage in the US, but it is unclear if this increase is due to cohort (a change that affects only the younger generation) or time period (a change that affects those of all ages). In a nationally representative sample of American adults (n = 13,483) in 1988 and 2004–2018, increased support for same-sex marriage was primarily due to time period (from 11.1% in 1988 to 66.7% in 2018). There was a smaller cohort effect, with a fairly linear increase between cohorts born in the 1960s and those born in the 1990s. Time period increases in support for same-sex marriage appeared among across gender, race, education levels, regions, and levels of religious service attendance, though differences in support still remain. The results suggest Americans of all ages modified their beliefs about same-sex marriage over time.

Effect of State and Local Sexual Orientation Anti-Discrimination Laws on Labor Market Differentials

This paper presents the first quasi-experimental research examining the effect of both local and state anti-discrimination laws on sexual orientation on the labor supply and wages of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) workers. To do so, I use the American Community Survey data on household composition to infer sexual orientation and combine this with a unique panel dataset on local anti-discrimination laws. Using variation in law implementation across localities over time, I find that anti-discrimination laws significantly reduce gaps in labor force participation rate, employment, and the wage gap for gay men relative to straight men. These laws also significantly reduce the labor force participation rate, employment, and wage premium for lesbian women relative to straight women. One explanation for the reduced labor supply and wage premium is that lesbian couples begin to have more children in response to the laws, shifting to a more traditional household with one woman working fewer hours. Finally, I present evidence that state anti-discrimination laws significantly and persistently increased support for same-sex marriage. This research shows that anti-discrimination laws can be an effective policy tool for reducing labor market inequalities across sexual orientation and improving sentiment toward LGB Americans.

Explaining Support for Same-Sex Marriage: Evidence from Taiwan

What explains Taiwan’s vacillating support for same-sex marriage? Despite earlier favourable public opinion and a Constitutional Court decision in 2017 in favour of legalisation, anti-lgbt referendums in 2018 found overwhelming support. We argue that the framing of same-sex marriage as undermining traditional family structures allowed opponents to shift the national discussion on legalisation. Our results suggest that supporters and the Tsai administration may have overestimated the extent to which opinions on legalisation were firm.

Personality Traits and Individual Attitudes Toward Same-Sex Marriage: Evidence from Taiwan

While same-sex marriage has been a particularly salient issue in recent years in Taiwan, few scholarly attentions have been paid to examine the determinants of individual attitudes toward same-sex marriage. This study attempts to understand how personality influences individual support for same-sex marriage in Taiwan. Using the original data collected in July 2017 in Taiwan, this study finds that people with higher levels of agreeableness are more likely to oppose same-sex marriage. Besides, conscientiousness and openness to experience have heterogeneous effects on individual attitudes toward same-sex marriage for people of different ages. Specifically, a higher level of conscientiousness is positively associated with support for same-sex marriage among younger people but is negatively correlated with support for same-sex marriage among older people. Similarly, a higher level of openness to experience would lead to increased support for same-sex marriage for younger people but would result in decreased support for same-sex marriage for older people. Overall, our findings indicate that personality can provide some explanatory power for individual attitudes toward homosexual rights.

Role of mental health in the attitude toward same-sex marriage among people in Taiwan: Moderating effects of gender, age, and sexual orientation

The aims of the study were to examine the role of mental health in peoples' attitude toward same-sex marriage in Taiwan, as well as the moderating effects of gender, age, and sexual orientation on the association between mental health and attitude toward same-sex marriage. In total, 3235 participants were recruited through a Facebook advertisement. Each participant completed a questionnaire assessing attitude toward same-sex marriage and a 5-item Brief Symptom Rating Scale (BSRS-5). Multiple regression analysis was performed to investigate the association between mental health and attitude toward same-sex marriage. Poor mental health was significantly associated with a low level of support for same-sex marriage. Age and sexual orientation moderated the association between mental health state and support for same-sex marriage. A significant association between poor mental health and a low level of support for same-sex marriage was observed only in older participants but not in younger participants. Moreover, a significant association between poor mental health and a low level of support for same-sex marriage was indicated only in heterosexual participants but not in non-heterosexual participants. Our findings suggest that poor mental health was significantly associated with opposition to same-sex marriage. This relationship is more pronounced among older and heterosexual people.

Are There Differences in Anti-Gay Beliefs Among U.S. Veterans and Non-Veterans? Results from the General Social Survey

ABSTRACT Only since 2011 have sexual minorities been able to serve openly in the U.S. military. The previous anti-gay policies and culture of the military may have increased anti-gay beliefs among veterans. Using data from the 2010–2016 General Social Survey, we tested whether veterans more frequently endorsed anti-gay beliefs than their non-veteran peers. Adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics with multiple logistic regression, we tested the associations of veteran status with five anti-gay beliefs (i.e., disallowing a gay person (1) from publicly speaking or (2) teaching at a university, (3) removing a gay-supportive book from a library, (4) whether same-sex sexual relations are wrong, and (5) support of same-sex marriage. Veteran status was associated with greater disagreement with same-sex marriage (B = 0.16, p = 0.033) but not with other anti-gay beliefs. Most anti-gay beliefs among veterans were explained by other sociodemographic factors and may not be inherent to veteran status.