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Public Attitudes Toward Abortion and LGBTQ Issues

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  • Ted G. Jelen

Abstract

Trends in public attitudes toward abortion, general acceptance of same-sex relationships, and same-sex marriage are examined across regions and parties in the United States. Relative to Americans living outside the South, Southerners are less accepting of same-sex relationships, and these regional differences appear to be increasing over time. On these issues, multivariate analysis suggests that Democrats and Republicans are moving in opposite directions, with Democrats becoming more accepting of same-sex relationships, and Republicans (relatively) less so. With respect to abortion, regional differences do not appear to be increasing or decreasing over time. Both Republicans and Democrats are becoming more accepting of legal abortion, once the effects of other variables have been controlled, but the rate of change is substantially more rapid among Democrats. Thus, party and regional polarization on issues involving sexual morality seems likely to continue.

Suggested Citation

  • Ted G. Jelen, 2017. "Public Attitudes Toward Abortion and LGBTQ Issues," SAGE Open, , vol. 7(1), pages 21582440176, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:sagope:v:7:y:2017:i:1:p:2158244017697362
    DOI: 10.1177/2158244017697362
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Carmines, Edward G. & Stimson, James A., 1980. "The Two Faces of Issue Voting," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 74(1), pages 78-91, March.
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    1. Angelo Moretti, 2023. "Regional Public Opinions on LGBTI People Equal Opportunities in Employment: Evidence from the Eurobarometer Programme using Small Area Estimation," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 166(2), pages 413-438, April.
    2. Victor Agadjanian & Lesia Nedoluzhko, 2025. "Public Opposition to Abortion in Central Asia’s Rapidly Changing Socio-Normative Context: A Case Study of Kyrgyzstan," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 44(3), pages 1-21, June.
    3. Jiuqing Cheng & Ping Xu & Chloe Thostenson, 2024. "Psychological traits and public attitudes towards abortion: the role of empathy, locus of control, and need for cognition," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-11, December.
    4. Kim, Taehyun & Steinberg, Julia R., 2023. "Individual changes in abortion knowledge and attitudes," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 320(C).
    5. Melissa Deckman & Laurel Elder & Steven Greene & Mary‐Kate Lizotte, 2023. "Abortion, religion, and racial resentment: Unpacking the underpinnings of contemporary abortion attitudes," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 104(2), pages 140-152, March.
    6. Raphael Corbi & Fabio Miessi Sanches, 2024. "The Decline of Religiosity in America: Evidence from a Structural Model of Endogenous Church Differentiation," Working Papers, Department of Economics 2024_32, University of São Paulo (FEA-USP).

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