Graduation Semester and Year

2012

Language

English

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Sociology

Department

Sociology and Anthropology

First Advisor

Robert Kunovich

Abstract

This thesis identifies trends in attitudes toward LGBT civil rights from 1973 to 2012; however, the main purpose is to examine public attitudes toward marriage equality in the United States in 2006. Based upon the 2006 General Social Survey (GSS), this study uses cross-tabulation and chi-square tests as well as multivariate ordinal logistic regression to examine relationships between support for marriage equality and political views (party affiliation, political ideology), religiosity (spirituality, religiosity, belief application, religious activities, attendance), media consumption (TV hours, news source), LGBT contact (in general, at work, in family, in neighborhood, in voluntary organizations), and social demographic characteristics (gender, age, education, household income). Overall, findings support existing literature as females, younger individuals, and those who have higher education are more supportive of marriage equality. Liberal and spiritual individuals are more likely to support marriage equality while those who are religious, apply religious beliefs to their daily lives, and attend church more frequently are more likely to oppose marriage equality. There is a very little relationship between support for marriage equality and media consumption. Among the contact variables, only those individuals who have LGBT contact in voluntary organizations are supportive towards marriage equality. It is hoped that LGBT social movement organizations will benefit from these findings to formulate advanced strategies for mobilization.

Disciplines

Social and Behavioral Sciences | Sociology

Comments

Degree granted by The University of Texas at Arlington

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