Portland State University PDXScholar Dissertations and Theses Dissertations and Theses Spring 5-22-2014 Exploring Connections Between Efforts to Restrict Same-Sex Marriage and Surging Public Opinion Support for Same-Sex Marriage Rights: Could Efforts to Restrict Gay Rights Help to Explain Increases in Public Opinion Support for Same-Sex Marriage? Samuel Everett Christian Dunlop Portland State University Follow this and additional works at: https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds Part of the Civil Rights and Discrimination Commons, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies Commons, and the Political Science Commons Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Dunlop, Samuel Everett Christian, "Exploring Connections Between Efforts to Restrict Same-Sex Marriage and Surging Public Opinion Support for Same-Sex Marriage Rights: Could Efforts to Restrict Gay Rights Help to Explain Increases in Public Opinion Support for Same-Sex Marriage?" (2014). Dissertations and Theses. Paper 1785. https://doi.org/10.15760/etd.1784 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of PDXScholar. Please contact us if we can make this document more accessible: [email protected]. Exploring Connections Between Efforts to Restrict Same-Sex Marriage and Surging Public Opinion Support for Same-Sex Marriage Rights: Could Efforts to Restrict Gay Rights Help to Explain Increases in Public Opinion Support for Same-Sex Marriage? by Samuel Everett Christian Dunlop A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Political Science Thesis Committee: Kim Williams, Chair Richard Clucas David Kinsella Portland State University 2014 Abstract Scholarly research on the subject of the swift pace of change in support for same-sex marriage has evolved significantly over the last ten years. The shift has gone beyond the scholarship’s initial description amongst demographic groups on how opinion has changed on gay rights issues, like same-sex marriage, to an examination of why the change has occurred. A great deal of the initial research on the topic seemed to focus on demographic traits that suggested a greater propensity toward support for same-sex marriage as time went on. Is the existent literature sufficient to explain why such a dramatic change in public opinion has occurred in the United States? My goal in this paper is to explore the plausibility that electoral events and the public dialogue/debate that surround them have accelerated the impact described in the four predominant theories, cohort succession, contact theory, intracohort theory, and media exposure. This paper includes three separate hypotheses to explore the possible connections between efforts to restrict gay rights at the ballot box and the ever-increasing support for same-sex marriage in public opinion polls. The results provide some preliminary indication that there are plausible connections between individual statewide efforts to restrict gay rights and increases in national public opinion support for same-sex marriage. The first analysis examines electoral events concerning gay rights in states where these issues have faced voters most frequently; California, Maine, and Oregon. The first hypotheses posits a potential connection between exposure to gay rights at the ballot box and greater support for gay rights in subsequent elections concerning gay rights in the same state. No clear or consistent pattern of support emerges for successive electoral measures i concerning gay rights where voters have been previously exposed to gay rights question in an electoral context. The second analysis explores national public opinion support for same-sex marriage as statewide ballot measures increase in popularity across the United States. The second hypotheses posits a connection between an increase in statewide electoral events concerning questions of same-sex marriage and an increase in national public opinion support for same-sex marriage with state-to-nation diffusion occurring and prodding upward national public opinion support for same-sex marriage simultaneously. The hypotheses is confirmed by data that suggests as election events on same-sex marriage increase across the United States at the state level, so too increases national public opinion support for same-sex marriage. The third analysis explores the rate of change in support for legal same-sex marriage across the three states where gay rights referenda and ballot initiatives have been most frequent; it posits that in states where voters have greater familiarity with gay rights at the ballot because of previous exposure to them, their support will be greater over time than public opinion measured in other states that have similar political cultures but have not faced the same level of electoral activity on gay rights. The final hypothesis is inconclusive because of the fluid nature of the same-sex marriage debate in the universe of states within the United States. States are handling this salient issue in a number of ways; some legislatures now seem to be taking steps to legalize same-sex marriage statutorily; others may take no action to propel the provision of same-sex marriage equality or end constitutional bans on the practice; while another group of states are leaving activists to litigate the policy in Federal ii courts or shift the debate toward statewide popular votes on the issue of authorizing same- sex marriage at the ballot box via ballot initiative or referendum. iii Acknowledgments For my forebears; the intrepid, tireless, and fearless champions of minority rights who made this study and reflection on the gay rights debate possible. For my parents David Dunlop and Betty Jones, who instilled in me a drive to challenge injustice and inequality everywhere. And unyielding gratitude for the patience, calm, and wisdom of my advisor, Dr. Kimberly M. Williams. iv Table of Contents Abstract ................................................................................................................................................... i Acknowledgments ............................................................................................................................... iv List of Tables ....................................................................................................................................... vi List of Figures ..................................................................................................................................... vii Chapter 1: Introduction....................................................................................................................... 1 Chapter 2: Research Question & Methodology ............................................................................... 9 Chapter 3: Data & Measures ............................................................................................................ 14 Methods in Hypothesis I:.............................................................................................................. 17 California ......................................................................................................................................... 18 Oregon ............................................................................................................................................. 19 Maine ............................................................................................................................................... 22 Methods in Hypothesis II: Examining National and State Public Opinion .......................... 27 Methods in Hypothesis III: State Opinion Data and Political Culture ................................. 28 Chapter 4: Literature Review ............................................................................................................ 33 Cohort Succession ......................................................................................................................... 36 Contact Theory ............................................................................................................................... 49 Intracohort Change ........................................................................................................................ 62 Elite Cues ........................................................................................................................................ 76 Literature Review Summary ......................................................................................................... 85 Chapter 5: Findings ............................................................................................................................ 88 Chapter 6: Discussion & Conclusion .............................................................................................. 94 References ......................................................................................................................................... 100 Appendices ........................................................................................................................................ 111 Appendix A ................................................................................................................................... 111 Appendix B ..................................................................................................................................