Alternative Lifestyles Gaining Greater Acceptance In California

San Francisco, CA — A new poll shows that gays and lesbians are gaining greater acceptance in the state although about half of Californians still oppose same-sex marriage.

A survey by the Field Poll released this morning reports that 43 percent of Californians approve of legalizing same-sex marriage while 51 percent disapprove. Researchers say those findings are unchanged from polls conducted over the past two years. However, the Field Poll also found that only 40 percent of Californians support amending the U-S Constitution to define marriage between a man and a woman while 50 percent do not.

Meanwhile, general public acceptance of gays and lesbians appears to be improving. Thirty-two percent of the Californians polled believe sexual relationships between same-sex couples are always wrong — a decrease from 1997 when 45 percent held that belief.