Marriage & Divorce

As the '08 elections approach, what are the views of Republicans, Democrats and the general public on "social values" issues? And how have they changed over time?

That's the percentage of U.S. adults who say that when there is a marriage in which the parents are very unhappy with one another, their children are better off if the parents get divorced; only 19% disagree.

On Thursday night six Democratic presidential candidates came together for a debate on issues important to the gay community. Candidates took on issues from gay marriage to "don't ask don't tell" and addressed a party whose rank-and-file hold ambivalent positions on some issues of concern to gays.

"Sharing household chores" now ranks third in importance on a list of nine items often associated with successful marriages – well ahead of such staples as adequate income, good housing, common interests and shared religious beliefs.

In many countries around the globe, gay and lesbian couples are seeking the right to marry or enter into other legally recognized forms of domestic partnerships. The legal definition of marriage is in flux, particularly in the developed world.

Americans believe that births to unwed women are a big problem for society, and they take a mixed view at best of cohabitation without marriage.

In the past four decades, growing numbers of gays have come out of the closet and into the mainstream of American life. As a consequence, 4-in-10 Americans now report that some of their close friends or family members are gays or lesbians. Read full analysis at Pewresearch.org

April 11, 2007 by David Masci, Senior Research Fellow, Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life The 2008 presidential election is still more than a year-and-a-half away, but some issues, such as the war in Iraq and health care, have already begun to define the contest. Others will emerge in the months ahead to catch […]

Bonaventure Hotel, Los Angeles Special Report: The Same-Sex Marriage Debate An Overview of the Same-Sex Marriage Debate The Constitutional Dimensions of the Same-Sex Marriage Debate A Stable Majority: Most Americans Still Oppose Same-Sex Marriage Additional Resources Map: State Policies on Same-Sex Marriage (Stateline.org) Religious Groups’ Official Positions on Same-Sex Marriage Same-Sex Marriage Candidate Comparison Same-Sex […]