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Nearly four in 10 Americans think marriage is becoming obsolete, according to a new survey that reveals changing attitudes on gay marriage, unwed couples and the definition of what a family is.
Among the biggest changes in Americans' attitude toward marriage was the number of those who now believe the institution is becoming obsolete. Thirty-nine percent of respondents said they believe that's the case, compared with 28 percent who said that when Time magazine asked the same question in 1978. Those most likely to think marriage is becoming obsolete are people who are part of the trend: 62 percent of unmarried couples who live together and have children. Forty-two percent of self-described conservatives also believe marriage is becoming less popular and say they're troubled by it. Americans are also more likely to believe people can come together to form a family without being married, said Andrew Cherlin, a professor of sociology and public policy at Johns Hopkins University. "Marriage is still very important in this country, but it doesn't dominate family life like it used to," Cherlin told The Associated Press. "Now there are several ways to have a successful family life, and more people accept them." Some 86 percent of respondents said they consider a single parent and child to be a family, and 80 percent said unmarried couples living together with children are families. Nearly two-thirds (63 percent) said they think a gay or lesbian couple raising a child constitutes a family. But even though a majority (88 percent) think a childless married couple is a family, a similar majority thinks a childless unmarried couple is not. |
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