New York City, March 24, 2011 -- A new national study has found that Catholics are more supportive of legal recognition of same-sex relationships than any other Christian group, and than Americans overall. The study, released March 22, 2011 by the Public Religion Research Institute, showed that 74% of American Catholics believe that gay and lesbian couples should be able to marry or form civil unions. Seventy-one percent (71%) of Catholics support civil marriage “like you get at city hall.”
Catholics also show strong support for lesbian and gay people on other issues. Nearly three-quarters of American Catholics (73%) favor laws that would prohibit workplace discrimination against gay people, 63% support allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military, and 60% support allowing gay and lesbian people to adopt children.
“Catholics clearly understand that Jesus’ Gospel of love and our church’s strong social justice tradition apply to gay people as much as to everyone else,” said Jeff Stone, a spokesperson for Dignity/New York, the local affiliate of DignityUSA, an organization of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Catholics. “It’s exciting to see how support for our community continues to grow.”
Stonenoted that polls have shown Catholics consistently leading other religious traditions on support of LGBT justice issues for over 20 years. “Information like this is important. It lets supportive Catholics know that they are really in the majority,” said Stone. “When the bishops’ voice is the only one that is heard, people can wrongly believe that Catholics all oppose equality for lesbian and gay people. Clearly, the opposite is true.”
Stonesaid that this study is significant for Catholics and lawmakers in New York and New Jersey considering the legalization of gay marriage. “Catholics can make a real difference in ending the discrimination that gay and lesbian people have faced for far too long,” Stone said.
“This is an exciting time for lesbian and gay people,” said Stone. “It’s great to know that people of faith, and especially Catholics, are with us in the struggle to gain equality.”
