Same-Sex Couples Raising Children Is Bad for Society

Public attitudes on same-sex couples have softened in recent years. In a 2007 Pew Research Center survey, 50% of adults said that gay and lesbian couples raising children was bad for society, compared with 43% in the 2010 survey. A growing share—34% in 2007 and 41% in 2010—say this rising trend doesn’t make much difference while 12% now view it as good. Age and gender are both strongly linked to differing attitudes on same-sex couples raising children and college graduates are least likely to be critical. Among those with a college degree, 36% say this growing trend is bad for society, compared with more than four-in-ten Americans with some college education (46%), adults with a high school diploma but no college (44%) or those without a high school diploma (46%). By region, people living in the Midwest and South are more critical than those living in the East of gay and lesbian couples raising children, as well as ofunmarried couples raising children and unmarried couples living together. Read More