Courtney McGrailWhile a plurality of Americans support the legalisation of same-sex marriage, most believe that the religious liberty of those who object to such marriages should still be respected, a poll shows.
The Associated Press poll, conducted between January 1 and February 2, shows that 44% of Americans favour legalisation of same-sex marriage, 39% oppose it and 15% “neither favour nor oppose” legalisation of such marriages.
Respondents were also asked: “In states where same-sex couples can be married legally, do you think that wedding-related businesses with religious objections should be allowed to refuse service to same-sex couples, or not?”
Fifty-seven percent of those polled said they “should be allowed to refuse service”, and only 39% said they should not. A further 50% said officials who issue marriage licenses but have religious objections “should be exempt from issuing them”, and those polled were evenly split, 48% against 48%, on how the US Supreme Court should rule on the issue.