By Gudrun Schultz
PRINCETON, New Jersey, March 9, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Over half of America’s teenagers believe homosexuality comes from a person’s environment and upbringing, and is not something a person is born with, according to a new Gallup Youth survey.
The poll looked at the responses from 546 teenagers, ages 13-17. When asked if being gay is due to outside factors, such as up bringing and environment, or if it is something a person is born with, 59 percent of teenagers said homosexuality comes from outside factors. Just 41 percent said they think people are born gay. On this question, girls scored slightly higher than boys.
The survey shows American teenagers are essentially split on the question of support for gay marriage and same-sex unions. On the question of gay marriage, 51 percent approve of gay marriage and 49 percent disapprove. The results show that boys and girls gave very similar responses, with girls slightly (four percentage points) more in favour than boys.
Teenagers responded slightly higher in favour of same-sex unions, with 55 percent saying they approved. Again, girls were more in favour than boys.
In a nationwide poll of adults conducted in May 2004, adults were somewhat less likely to be in favour of gay civil unions. 49% were in favour, while 48% were opposed.
When asked if homosexuality is something a person is born with, or the result of outside factors, 44% of adults polled in May 2005 said homosexuality is due to outside factors. 38% said it was present at birth, and the rest said it was both, or expressed no opinion.
The survey is considered accurate to within ±4 percentage points, 95% of the time.