Black Views on Gay Marriage: Behind the Gender Gap: Though President Obama's re-election was widely celebrated in the black community, and his victory attributed to the overwhelming support he enjoyed among black voters, there was another victory on Nov. 6 -- credited at least in part to black voters -- that has not received nearly as much attention.
Same-sex marriage was approved in ballot measures in three states, including Maryland. According to exit polls, black voters played a significant role in the legalization of same-sex marriage in Maryland: Twenty-nine percent of its population is African American, and 46 percent of them voted in support of same-sex marriage.
But an analysis of national data shows that despite high-profile support from African-American men like President Obama and Jay-Z, political support within the black community for legalizing same-sex marriage is being driven largely by women. The Washington Post notes that nationally, 59 percent of black women now support gay marriage, compared with 42 percent of black men, which the Post terms "a huge gender gap."
