
CONTACTAbout UsCAREER OPPORTUNITIESADVERTISE WITH USPRIVACY POLICYPRIVACY PREFERENCESTERMS OF USELEGAL NOTICE
© 2025 Equal Entertainment LLC.
All Rights reserved
All Rights reserved
By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
We need your help
Your support makes The Advocate's original LGBTQ+ reporting possible. Become a member today to help us continue this work.
Your support makes The Advocate's original LGBTQ+ reporting possible. Become a member today to help us continue this work.
The majority of Americans are widening their view of what it means to be a family -- and same-sex couples with kids fit the definition.
The findings are published in the Russell Sage Foundation's new book on gay rights, "Counted Out: Same-Sex Relations and Americans' Definitions of Family." The authors of the book intended to demonstrate that definitions of family are expanding in America.
Brian Powell, a sociology professor at Indiana University, Bloomington, is hopeful about his findings. Since the surveys began in 2003, the proportion of people who reported having a gay friend or relative went up 10 percentage points, Powell told The New York Times.
"This indicates a more open social environment in which individuals now feel more comfortable discussing and acknowledging sexuality," Powell said. "Ironically with all the antigay initiatives, all of a sudden people were saying the word 'gay' out loud. Just the discussion about it made people more comfortable."
But the authors told The Times that the findings don't speak for the entire public.
"Neither
the numbers from our data nor actual votes on initiatives are anywhere
near the sufficient magnitude to support the idea that the public is
ready to embrace same sex-couples with open arms," the authors told The
Times. But still, the authors "envisage a day in the near future when
same-sex families also will gain acceptance by a large plurality of the
public."
From our Sponsors
Most Popular
Watch Now: Pride Today
Latest Stories
Gay congressman confronts Pete Hegseth over Harvey Milk ship, military diversity
June 12 2025 9:15 PM
Iowa bans Medicaid from covering gender-affirming care for adults
June 12 2025 5:11 PM
Judges forced a Florida Pride drag show indoors at the last minute
June 12 2025 1:14 PM