A new Gallup Values and Beliefs Poll indicates that Americans are expressing more conservative views on several social and moral issues. The survey, conducted May 1–17 among 1,001 adults nationwide, found declining acceptance of behaviors such as premarital sex, gambling, pornography, euthanasia, and gender transition.
One of the largest shifts involved childbirth outside of marriage. Acceptance fell from 67% in 2024 to 58% this year. Support for contraception also declined from 90% to 83%, the lowest level Gallup has recorded on that question.
Views on sexual relationships became somewhat less permissive, with approval of sex between unmarried men and women decreasing from 68% to 65%, while acceptance of gay and lesbian relationships dropped from 64% to 62%. Approval of teen sex declined from 41% to 35%.
Acceptance of gambling fell to 57%, and support for pornography decreased to 31%. Doctor-assisted suicide dropped below majority support, falling from 53% to 49%. Support for gender transition also reached a new low, with 38% considering it morally acceptable.
Attitudes toward abortion remained largely unchanged, with 49% viewing it as morally acceptable. Human cloning was the only issue surveyed that saw a slight increase in support, rising from 8% to 9%.
