Search form

Scroll To Top
Popnography

Are Sitcoms the Most Influential Messaging on Same-Sex Marriage?

Modfam-cr

A new poll shows gay marriage is winning support among American voters, thanks to shows like 'Modern Family,' 'Glee,' and 'The New Normal'

jerryportwood

We told you the evolution has been televised. As I wrote this past spring, Cam & Mitch "don't worry about waistlines and fashion" but "are obsessed with rearing their adopted Asian daughter and are contemplating expanding their nuclear family with another child." And it seems this entertaining form of propoganda may actually be making a difference.

In a new poll conducted by THR, it seems many people are changing views about marriage equality (even Romney voters) based on the storylines they see on network TV programs. As THR points out:

"Asked about how the shows influenced them, 27 percent said gay TV made them more pro-gay marriage, and six percent more anti. Obama voters watched and 30 percent got more supportive, 2 percent less supportive. Surprisingly, the shows made almost as many Romney voters more in favor of gay marriage: 13 percent got more pro-gay-marriage, 12 percent got more anti. (This trend toward gay acceptance squares with other polls: the 2011 Gallup poll was the first ever to show a majority, 53 percent, in favor of legalizing gay marriage, and a 2012 Gallup poll showed 50 percent in favor and 48 percent against it.)"

So perhaps this poll is really revealing how social values are quite different from economic values. Family values really do matter to people and they are evolving to be more inclusive on what it means to be a family.

As THR also divulges, "of all voters, 42 percent say gay marriage on TV has made them more aware and active on the issue," says Penn, "but this skews heavily towards viewers under 35 (55 percent) versus those over 35 (36 percent)." But don't worry, even as viewers age and potentially become more conservative economically, they likely won't change their ideas on marriage. Well, maybe until they go through a nasty divorce. But that's a completely different story.

Advocate Channel - The Pride StoreOut / Advocate Magazine - Fellow Travelers & Jamie Lee Curtis

From our Sponsors

Most Popular

Latest Stories