Story perspectives

Same-Sex Marriage Support Drops to 65% in 2026

6/3/2026

Summary

Story summary

Support for legal same-sex marriage fell to 65 % in 2026, the first decline after two decades, according to Gallup’s Values and Beliefs survey of 1,001 U.S. adults fielded May 1-17, 2026.
Support fell among all partisan groups, with Republicans at 37 %, independents at 67 %, while Democrats remained at 87 %.
Psychotherapist Nicholas Hardy said the drop in moral acceptance to 62 %—the lowest since 2016—reflects a polarizing political climate rather than a genuine shift in personal beliefs.

History

Historical Context

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court’s Goodridge ruling on May 17 2004 made the state the first U.S. jurisdiction to legalize same-sex marriage, leading to over 10,000 couples marrying in its first four years. National opinion shifted from 27 % support in 1996 to 65 % in 2026, a Gallup poll that still shows Republicans at 37 %.

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Story summary

Support for legal same-sex marriage fell to 65 % in 2026, the first decline after two decades, according to Gallup’s Values and Beliefs survey of 1,001 U.S. adults fielded May 1-17, 2026.
Support fell among all partisan groups, with Republicans at 37 %, independents at 67 %, while Democrats remained at 87 %.
Psychotherapist Nicholas Hardy said the drop in moral acceptance to 62 %—the lowest since 2016—reflects a polarizing political climate rather than a genuine shift in personal beliefs.

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