Keywords

gay marriage, public opinion, authoritarianism, tolerance, traditionalism, gay rights

Abstract

This research aims to answer a simple question: Why are some individuals, and some states, more willing to extend protections to same-sex couples than are others? Drawing from the literature, I perform a battery of quantitative tests on variables most commonly associated with gay rights and gay marriage policy development: liberalism, education, age, religiosity, authoritarianism, tolerance, urbanization, and moral traditionalism. While I find that all of these variables have a relationship with gay rights and gay marriage opinion, I argue that those associated with religiosity have the strongest pull. However, religiosity does not act alone; moral traditionalism, age, and ideology play particularly robust roles as well. In conclusion, I contend that the data show a strong likelihood for the continued liberalization of gay rights and gay marriage policy into the foreseeable future.

Notes

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Graduation Date

2010

Advisor

Pollock, Philip

Degree

Master of Arts (M.A.)

College

College of Health and Public Affairs

Department

Political Science

Degree Program

Political Science

Format

application/pdf

Identifier

CFE0003020

URL

http://purl.fcla.edu/fcla/etd/CFE0003020

Language

English

Release Date

May 2010

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Access Status

Masters Thesis (Open Access)

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