White racial-egalitarian attitudes changed faster than modern gay-marriage support
Evidence
In 1958 fewer than forty percent say they would be willing to vote for an equally qualified black candidate, where by 1975 that share is just over eighty percent, a rate of change more rapid than the more recent evolution on same-sex marriage. Over the seventeen-year period between 1996 and 2013, support for gay marriage in Gallup polls rose from 27 to 54 percent, a slightly slower pace in both absolute and proportional terms. — Ilyana Kuziemko and Ebonya Washington, Why Did the Democrats Lose the South?…, 317
Categorization
- XREF: Ties to the ‘threatened-privilege’ reading purpose: this rapid shift in expressed racial attitudes on a willingness-to-vote question sits alongside but in tension with the mobilizational account of Democrats losing the South — suggesting attitude change and political realignment can run on different clocks. — connects to: White racial beliefs improved dramatically even as policy opposition stayed high — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 3331; Dramatic political events shifted white racial attitudes in a positive direction. — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 3378; Same-sex marriage goals reflect white middle-class priorities. — Silke Roth, Intersectionality and coalitions in…, 202
- CANDY: Compact, surprising comparison: racial willingness-to-vote attitudes moved faster (1958-1975) than modern gay-marriage support (1996-2013) — a good elevator fact. But needs a touch of context, so borderline.
- SHARE: For someone in survey/attitude-change research — the pace comparison against gay marriage across absolute AND proportional terms is a specific methodological framing they’d appreciate.
Broader Connections
- White racial beliefs improved dramatically even as policy opposition stayed high
#expands(0.85) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 3331 - Dramatic political events shifted white racial attitudes in a positive direction.
#expands(0.75) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 3378