Source: Washington Post
Nearly six in 10 Marylanders support allowing gay and lesbian couples to form civil unions, according to a new Washington Post poll.

In the new poll, 57 percent support civil unions, up significantly from nearly four years ago, when 44 percent were in favor. Meanwhile, 51 percent continue to oppose granting full marriage rights to same-sex couples.

The new Post poll was conducted by telephone Oct. 18 through 22 among a random sample of 1,103 Maryland adults. The results from the full poll have a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

On the same-sex marriage issue, 51 percent said they oppose allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry, and 44 percent said they support changing the law to allow that.

But Marylanders are far more open to the idea of allowing gay and lesbian couples to form civil unions, giving them some of the same legal rights as married couples. Fifty-seven percent support civil unions; 39 percent oppose them.

A national poll last year found that 45 percent supported civil unions and 48 percent opposed them.

Jay Dorsch, 52, of West Friendship said he thinks that a gay couple should be granted some of the legal rights afforded to married couples, even though he doesn't support gay marriage.

"It seems to me, people should be able to go to a lawyer and get visitation, inheritance, power of attorney," Dorsch said. "I don't see anything wrong with that."

The poll found striking differences on gay marriage and civil union based on age and how often people attend religious services.

Among those who rarely attend religious services, 61 percent support gay marriage and 73 percent support civil unions. Among those who attend services at least weekly, only 25 percent support gay marriage and 37 percent support civil unions.

Among those younger than 40, 55 percent support gay marriage and 64 percent support civil unions. Among those 65 and older, 30 percent support gay marriage and 44 percent support civil unions.

Dan Furmansky, executive director of Equality Maryland, a group pushing the legislature to legalize same-sex marriage, attributed the age gap to an evolving culture.

"Older generations have grown up in a society with deeply entrenched sentiments that it's wrong to be gay or lesbian," Furmansky said. "We weren't depicted in mass media."

And although nearly two-thirds of Democrats and independents support civil unions, 61 percent of Republicans are opposed.

On gay marriage, about six in 10 Republicans and independents are opposed. Democrats are closely divided, with 49 percent supporting and 45 percent opposing.

Fifty-nine percent of white Marylanders favor civil unions. Blacks are split, with 46 percent supporting and 48 percent opposing them. Meanwhile, 59 percent of African Americans oppose same-sex marriage, and white are split, with 50 percent supporting and 45 percent opposing.

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