Poll: Nearly three-quarters say sexual orientation should have same discrimination protection as race

Eighteen percent said sexual orientation should not be protected the same way race is, and eight percent said they were not sure. The poll of 1,008 adults was conducted April 6-8 by the West Des Moines, Iowa-based Selzer & Co. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.

A majority of Americans say the country is on the road to full marriage equality, though notwithstanding the Supreme Court’s upcoming ruling, they are skeptical it will happen overnight. Fifty-eight percent said same-sex marriage will be legal in all 50 U.S. states in the next 10 years. That includes 26 percent who said gay marriage would be allowed nationwide in the next five years, and seven percent said those rights would be extended in the next year.