Gay marriage, whatever the Supreme Court rules, has become part of American life. One in four know a married same sex-couple, and more than half know a couple who may or may not be married, but are committed to each other. What is most striking in the latest YouGov Poll is that knowledge is shared by most groups – Republicans and Democrats, old and young.

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Americans are closely divided on whether same sex marriage should be legal; but whatever they think, Americans are even more likely now than they were a week ago to believe that same-sex marriage will eventually become legal – if not through the Supreme Court’s decisions this year on the Defense of Marriage Act and the legality of Proposition 8, which stopped gay and lesbian marriages in the state of California, but through other changes.

This week, after hearing the Supreme Court arguments, about seven in ten believe same-sex marriage will be legal throughout the country in the next 30 years, up three points from last week.

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Most Americans say being gay or lesbian is not a choice: 58% say it is not a choice a person makes. And just about the same 59% believe homosexuality is a way of life that should be accepted, and not discouraged by society. Women, more than men, agree. But majorities of Republicans and conservatives take the opposite position.

Photo source: Press Association