Eleven years after the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark Obergefell v. Hodges decision redefined marriage nationwide, a new national survey finds that overwhelming majorities of voters surveyed believe children should, whenever possible, be raised by both their mother and father.
The survey, conducted June 14–16 by The Decision Co. on behalf of the Greater Than coalition, questioned 1,200 conservative and moderate likely general-election voters.
Among its findings:
- 96% say it is important for a child to be raised with both an involved mother and an involved father.
- 82% agree that no child should be deliberately denied either a mother or a father.
- 78% believe that when children’s needs conflict with adults’ desires, children’s needs should come first.
- 66% reject the claim that being raised by two parents of the same sex is no different for a child than being raised by an adoptive mother and father.
- 63% agree that children are harmed when they lose either their mother or father to be raised in a same-sex household.
The survey also found that this conviction extends beyond religious communities. While 72% of regular churchgoers support legal recognition of both a child’s mother and father, 43% of respondents who never attend church do as well, suggesting that many Americans view the issue as one of child well-being rather than simply a matter of religious belief.
The findings align with a substantial body of social science research on family structure and child well-being. Research published by organizations including Child Trends, the Brookings Institution, and the Institute for Family Studies has found that, on average, children raised by their married biological mother and father achieve better educational, economic, and social outcomes than those raised in other family structures. While many single parents, adoptive parents, foster parents, grandparents, and other caregivers provide loving, stable homes under challenging circumstances, researchers have consistently found that children generally benefit from the complementary influence of both a mother and a father whenever possible.
The poll was released by the Greater Than coalition, a national alliance led by Them Before Us and comprising parents, faith leaders, scholars, attorneys, nonprofit organizations, and public advocates committed to advancing policies that prioritize children’s interests over adult preferences.
Katy Faust, founder and president of Them Before Us, said the findings show broad public support for prioritizing children’s interests.
“For years, the left has portrayed the belief that children deserve both their mother and father as a fringe view. This poll proves otherwise. Among conservative and moderate voters, there is overwhelming agreement that children have a right to both parents whenever possible. At a time when the political right is often described as divided, this issue stands out as one of remarkable unity.”
Jason McGuire, Executive Director of New York Families Foundation, said the survey reinforces a principle that should remain central to family policy.
“This survey confirms what common experience and decades of social science have consistently shown: mothers and fathers are not interchangeable. Children benefit from the distinct gifts that each parent brings to their development. While we celebrate the many grandparents, adoptive parents, foster parents, and single parents who faithfully care for children, public policy should seek, whenever wise and possible, to preserve and strengthen the bond between children and both their mother and father. Children’s needs—not adult preferences—should remain at the center of our laws.”
Additional information about the survey, including its methodology and full results, is available at greaterthancampaign.com/poll.
Selected Research on Family Structure
Readers interested in exploring the research may wish to consult:
- Child Trends. Marriage from a Child’s Perspective: How Does Family Structure Affect Children, and What Can We Do About It? (Kristin Anderson Moore, Suzanne Jekielek & Carol Emig).
- Ron Haskins and Isabel Sawhill, Brookings Institution, on the “success sequence” and the relationship between education, work, marriage, and child well-being.
- Institute for Family Studies, research reports examining family structure and child outcomes using nationally representative data.
- W. Bradford Wilcox, Professor of Sociology at the University of Virginia and Director of the National Marriage Project, whose scholarship focuses on marriage, family stability, fatherhood, and child well-being.
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