Mid-Day

A University of Chicago research has shown that Americans increasingly support basic civil liberties and freedom of expression for gays and lesbians today, as compared to the 1970s.

General Social Survey Director and research author Tom W. Smith said the results show a clear "trend toward greater tolerance regarding homosexuality,"

The report titled "Public Attitudes toward Homosexuality” also found that 46 percent now support same sex marriage and only 40 percent opposed it, as compared to an 11 percent support in 1988.

The study also indicates that public attitudes are sharply divided on the homosexuality issue.

"There is a large generation gap on the issue [of same-sex marriage]. Public opinion is thus highly polarized on this issue, with few people sharing the middle ground, Smith said.

Though 44 percent respondents said sexual relations between two adults of the same sex is always wrong, another 41 percent thought such relations were "not wrong at all."