A new survey from Public Policy Polling provides a look into how same-sex marriage, which has been legal in Vermont since April 2009, is viewed by Vermont residents. Vermont residents have clearly accepted it as part of the state's social fabric, with 58% saying that same sex marriage should be legal.
When asked if "...the legalization of gay marriage in Vermont had a positive or negative impact on your life, or has it not had any impact at all?" 60% of respondents said it hadn't had any impact at all. A close look at the numbers shows that this opinion was held by many moderates and conservatives. The crosstabs show that 73% of political moderates said there was no impact on their own lives, so did 60% of those who said they were "somewhat conservative," and 43% of those who describe themselves as "very conservative." The "very conservative" category was the only one with a majority saying that the new law had a "negative effect" on their life, at 56%.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE SURVEY.
To be sure, Vermont's marriage equality law has had the greatest impact on the 2,798 married same-sex couples living in Vermont, according to the 2010 U.S. Census, as well as couples who traveled to Vermont to marry. The law also affects countless numbers of lesbian, gay, and bisexual Vermonters who know that, if and when they decide to marry, their union will be fully recognized by the State of Vermont. Also benefiting are heterosexual Vermonters who prefer to stand on a level playing field with their friends, family, neighbors, and colleagues. For all these folks, Vermont's marriage equality law has had a positive effect on their lives.
