59% of Americans support legal civil unions for same-sex couples, giving those partners legal rights when it comes to things like health insurance, inheritance and pensions, according to the latest Economist/YouGov Poll. 32% oppose civil unions for same-sex couples, but that figure includes majorities of Republicans, conservatives and those 65 and older.
But although they support civil unions for same-sex couples, Americans don't go so far as to favor same-sex marriages. Just 38% favor them, including just over half of Democrats and those under 30 years old, and nearly half of college graduates and those who live in the Northeast.
Women support civil unions and gay marriages to a somewhat greater extent than men do: 62% of women and 55% of men favor same-sex civil unions; 40% of women and 36% of men would extend marriage rights to gay and lesbian couples.
Support for gay rights has increased in recent years (for example, most polls --- including this one --- now show majority support for allowing gay men and lesbians to serve openly in the U.S. military). But although a majority overall in this poll (58%) say homosexuality should be accepted by society, there are groups that strongly resist this: majorities of Republicans, conservatives and Southerners believe society should discourage homosexuality.
Those currently married express even more concern: 44% of them say allowing same-sex marriages would threaten marriages like their own --- nearly as many say that same-sex marriages would have no impact on traditional marriages.
The Constitutional argument --- that not allowing same-sex couples to marry would violate their rights --- gets little support from Americans. 37% agree with that claim, but 41% don't, with the rest of the public not sure one way or the other.
Traditional marriage and government's role in legalizing it still gets public support: only 40% would take government out of the marriage picture and just provide civil unions for everyone. And when asked whether government should be involved in certification of marriage, Americans agree by 47% to 39%. And there is little party or age difference about this.
