La. Survey Finds Most Residents Oppose Same-sex Marriages & Support Confederate Monuments

The Louisiana Survey finds 53% of residents surveyed are still opposed to same-sex marriages even after last year’s historic Supreme Court ruling. Director of the LSU Public Policy Research Lab Michael Henderson says this percentage has decreased over the past three years. He says the survey also found 52% support religious freedom laws.

“Almost exactly the same percentage believe that businesses who provide wedding services should be allowed to refuses services to same-sex couples on the grounds of religious reasons as opposed to same-sex marriage, generally.”

Henderson says he’s not surprised by the results on the questions regarding same-sex marriages but he is surprised that 73% of Louisianans believe the Confederate monuments should stay up. He says even 47% of black residents think the monuments should not be removed.

“It could be that part of this is just the fact that in a lot of areas maybe these statues have been around and maybe people don’t think it’s worth fighting these issues for these things that have already been around.”

Henderson says unlike the removal of the monuments, about half of residents are opposed to the state issuing specialty licenses plates displaying the Confederate battle flag.

“49% think that it’s okay for the state to issue those licenses plates, 44% oppose and then we see a very large racial gap on opinion on that issues.”