Having gay friends spurs tolerance: study

By Ed Stoddard

DALLAS (Reuters) - People with gay friends or family members are far more likely to accept their sexual orientation than those who don't, according to a U.S. survey released on Wednesday by the Pew Research Center.

The survey also found that liberal Democrats are far more likely to say they have a gay friend than conservative Republicans -- highlighting the political aspect of one of America's most divisive cultural issues.

Forty-one percent of more than 2,000 adults polled for the survey in December and January said a close friend or family member was gay while 58 percent said they had no homosexual friends or relatives.

"An analysis of survey results suggests that familiarity is closely linked to tolerance," Pew said in a statement.

"Overall, those who say they have a family member or close friend who is gay are more than twice as likely to support gay marriage as those who don't -- 55 percent to 25 percent."

Gay marriage has emerged as a hot-button issue that exposes the depth of U.S. political and religious polarization.

Supporters say gay adults should not face discrimination in areas such as marriage because of their sexual orientation.

Its staunchest opponents, who have led state ballot initiatives to ban same-sex marriage, tend to be evangelical Christians and Republicans. They see the practice as an affront to Biblical teachings and the "traditional family" model.