There is hope for the South! A new poll out of Vanderbilt gives gay people living in the South hope that, even down South, things are moving in the right direction:
About half of Tennesseans support legal recognition of same-sex couples, an apparent shift in their views as states across the country have moved toward allowing gay marriage.
A poll conducted this month for Vanderbilt University found that 49 percent of Tennesseans support gay marriage or civil unions while 46 percent are opposed to both, suggesting the state is now evenly divided on whether to extend legal recognition to same-sex couples.
Meanwhile, 62 percent of Tennesseans say health insurance and other employee benefits should be extended to the domestic partners or spouses of gays and lesbians. Thirty-one percent oppose the idea.
While this result is obviously way behind national trends, it’s still a shift from 2006, when Tennesseans passed an anti-gay marriage amendment with 81% of the vote.
For interesting further reading on the fight for equality across the South, check out this piece from The Advocate, “The South’s Longer Wait For Equality.”
[h/t Joe]
