Op-ed: Thank Your Grandparents for Equality Surging in Polls

[William769]

This year might bring the first-ever statewide vote in favor of marriage for same-sex couples — and for that you have your grandmother to thank. Why? Because contrary to conventional wisdom, Americans born in the 1940s have been changing their minds on the marriage issue faster than nearly any other age group. And they are in good company.

Some marriage advocates have posited that the mammoth growth our country has seen in support for allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry has been primarily caused by younger, more accepting voters replacing older ones in the population. But new data released in our new report, The Big Shift, shows that this phenomenon only explains one quarter of the total movement since 2004, while 75% of the shift was caused by Americans of all ages — including your parents’ and grandparents’ generation — changing their minds.

By compiling data from 98 public surveys taken between 2004 and 2011, with a total of more than 128,000 responses, we were able to dig deeper into the question of exactly who has changed their position on marriage, and how quickly. The answers are stunning: support for marriage has risen at a rate of more than 2 points a year since the low point in 2004, gaining 16 points by 2011 — the most recent year for which we have numbers. Who moved the most quickly? Moderates, whose support went from 33% to 54% over that seven-year timeframe.

And while some groups moved faster than others, every single demographic group we identified moved in a positive direction on marriage, gaining at least 1 point a year in support. The number of Evangelicals, for example, who favor allowing gay couples to marry has risen 8 points since 2004 — a pace of change that advocates on many other issues would surely envy. And support among weekly churchgoers and conservatives rose even faster, gaining 12 and 15 points respectively between 2004 and 2011.

http://www.advocate.com/commentary/2012/10/28/think-tank-says-we-should-thank-grandma-equality-surging-polls

[xchrom]

1. Du rec. Nt

[wellstone dem]

2. Several years ago weeks after my parents celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary

they told me, "We were playing cards with the Smiths (married 50 years) last Saturday. We talked about it and decided we would all still be married if there was gay marriage."

Now they have a "Vote No" (on gay marriage ban) in their yard and my 92 year old Dad and 85 year old Mom will be voting no on November 6.

[William769]

5. Thats great to hear!

[roguevalley]

7. my folks were pro marriage anti racist all of it

Daddy used to get up on buses for black women to sit in the forties. Lots of fights for him the sweet little guy. It is wrong to lump older people as slaggers. They tend to be a good group.

[MNBrewer]

12. Hope their No votes take us over the top!!

[bigtree]

3. interesting

k&r

[WinkyDink]

4. Oh, it's "Thank Grandma"? Guess what? Most "Americans born in the 1940s" are called "BABY BOOMERS."

You remember? That reviled group who is stealing the legacy of all (other) current and future generations?

[William769]

6. Well I guess that is another myth we will add to the list.

I know certain groups wanted to own that meme, it's just not panning out.

[RebelOne]

8. I am a grandma and great-grandma born in 1939.

I grew up in Miami, FL, and I admit I was a racist as a child because I did not know any better. That was when schools were segregated, blacks had their own movie theaters and restaurants and had to sit in the back of the bus. Once I was out in the work world, that racism disappeared, as I had many black and gay friends and co-workers.

I was married at 16 and my husband and I moved to New Jersey for a brief time. I was shocked to see interracial couples and blacks in the theaters and restaurants. That is when I realized the rest of the world was not like the South.

[Arugula Latte]

9. I've noticed a big difference between people born in the 30s

and people born in the 40s. My parents' contemporaries, the Depression babies of the 30s, came of age in the 50s, while the 40s babies came of age in the 60s -- and that has made a huge difference. I've always found it difficult to relate to many of my parents' generation, while the slightly younger folks seem more open minded and open to things.

[William769]

10. That makes sense.

[Kurovski]

11. K&R

What are those folks in that picture on your sigline pledging? I can see "aids" but not the rest of the sentence. Thanks!

[Piscatarian]

13. It says...

I PLEDGE to 'Keep the Promise' on AIDS

[Kurovski]

14. thank you.

Wow, you don't say a lot around here, so I'm feeling a bit honored.

A quiet DUer, that's such a rarity.

[William769]

15. Thanks for responding to the request.