Gallup: Same-Sex Marriage Support Declines From Peak

American support for same-sex marriage and LGBTQ+ rights has plateaued and begun to decline after more than two decades of steady growth, according to a new Gallup poll released Wednesday that reveals a widening partisan divide on the issues.

The survey — Gallup’s annual Values and Beliefs poll, conducted May 1-17 — found that 65% of U.S. adults believe same-sex marriage should be legal, down from a peak of 71% in 2022 and 2023. Moral acceptance of gay and lesbian relations has fallen to 62%, its lowest level since 2016, while only 38% of Americans view changing one’s gender as morally acceptable, down from 46% in 2021, Gallup reported.

The Partisan Divide Widens

The overall decline masks a stark partisan split. The shift is overwhelmingly driven by Republicans, whose support for same-sex marriage has plummeted from 55% in 2021-2022 to just 37% today — an 18-point drop, according to AP News. Among independents, support fell six points to 67%, while Democratic support has held steady at 87% since 2022.

A similar pattern emerged on the morality of same-sex relationships. Republican acceptance fell 21 points to 35%, returning to levels not seen since 2005-2014. Independents saw an eight-point decline to 64%, while Democrats remained stable at 81%.

On transgender issues, the partisan gulf is even wider. Just 5% of Republicans view changing one’s gender as morally acceptable, compared with 42% of independents and 60% of Democrats, Gallup found. The 57% of Americans who now view gender transition as morally wrong represents a majority that has grown steadily since Gallup first asked the question in 2021.

A Historic Reversal

The decline is notable because it breaks a long-term trend of steadily increasing acceptance. When Gallup first asked about same-sex marriage in 1996, only 27% supported it. Support rose by 44 percentage points over the next 26 years before peaking in 2022.

“After two decades of rising support for LGBTQ+ issues, U.S. attitudes have plateaued and begun to slide back modestly,” said Jeffrey M. Jones, Gallup senior editor and author of the report, as reported by The Guardian.

Same-sex marriage has been legally recognized nationwide since the 2015 Supreme Court ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges. By last year, there were more than 800,000 married same-sex couples in the U.S., according to the Williams Institute at UCLA. However, the legal framework faces renewed pressure. Lawmakers in at least 11 states introduced legislation in 2025-2026 sessions calling for bans on same-sex marriage, and the Tennessee House passed a measure allowing private citizens and organizations not to recognize such unions.

Transgender Rights as a Political Flashpoint

The steepest declines in the poll center on transgender issues, reflecting their prominence in political debates. Most Republican-controlled states have enacted laws restricting gender-affirming care for minors, school bathroom access, and sports participation for transgender athletes. President Donald Trump has signed executive orders seeking similar policies at the federal level.

This week, one of those policies suffered a setback when a federal court ruled that the military illegally banned transgender troops.

The Role of DEI Pushback

Gallup explicitly links the declining support to conservative backlash against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The report states: “The change has come as conservative leaders have pushed back against diversity, equity and inclusion programs that were intended to foster greater acceptance of LGBTQ+ people and other historically disadvantaged groups.”

What to Watch

The findings carry significant implications. With declining public support and active legislative challenges in multiple states, the legal framework established by Obergefell v. Hodges faces renewed scrutiny, though the Supreme Court has thus far declined to hear challenges. LGBTQ+ issues, particularly transgender rights, are likely to feature prominently in the 2026 midterm election campaigns.

Despite the decline, a majority of Americans — 65% — still support marriage equality, and Democratic and independent views remain stable. The poll, based on telephone interviews with a random sample of 1,001 U.S. adults, has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.

As Gallup’s bottom line concludes: “For about two decades, Americans grew more accepting of LGBTQ+ people and more supportive of their civil rights. However, those pro-LGBTQ+ attitudes peaked about five years ago and have since edged downward, mostly among Republicans.”