Gay Marriage

Majority:  Most Americans now support legalizing civil marriage for same-sex couples.

Starting around 2011-2012 various national US polls began finding the scales had tipped on legalizing civil marriage for same-sex couples.  Polling now consistently finds a slim majority of Americans support same-sex marriage.  With New Jersey becoming the 14th state -plus DC- to allow same-sex marriages, 30% of Americans now live in a state where both same-sex and opposite-sex couples may legally marry.  Another 13% live in states allowing opposite-sex couples to marry and allowing same-sex couples to enter into civil unions.  As of last week, Oregon also recognizes same-sex marriages performed out-of-state.  Eight counties in New Mexico are also issuing marriage licenses.  Six tribal jurisdictions in the US also offer legal same-sex marriages.  And there are pending lawsuits seeking to legalize marriage for same-sex couples in more than half a dozen states.