Is Porn 'Morally Acceptable'? Almost Half Of Men Say Yes, Women Less Accepting, Sex And Relationship Survey Finds

When it comes to pornography, about twice as many American men said they don't see anything wrong with it compared to women, according to recent polling from Gallup that looked at Americans' attitudes toward certain sexual behaviors. The survey shows that -- in regards to sex and relationships issues-- men and women have some significant disagreements, but both genders are becoming more open to certain behaviors than they were in the past.

Among topics like same-sex relationships, affairs and divorce, the issue that put men and women in the U.S. most at odds was porn. Almost twice as many men as women – 43 percent versus 25 percent – surveyed said they thought pornography was “morally acceptable,” which was consistent with data going back to 2011, according to Gallup.

Additionally, 12 percent said of men said it was morally acceptable for men and women to have extramarital affairs, compared to 5 percent of women. The tables turned when it came to gay and lesbian relationships: 66 percent of women surveyed said there was nothing wrong with same-sex relationships, compared to 59 percent of men.

The genders were nearly equal on the issue of sex out of wedlock. Seventy percent of men said sex between an unmarried man and an unmarried woman was acceptable, while 66 percent of women said the same.

The survey tracked the changes over time in Americans’ beliefs about a wide range of topics involving sex and sexual behavior. One of the most notable finds was the climbing percentage of women who said they found divorce was morally acceptable. Since the early 2000s, women’s acceptance of divorce has climbed by nearly 20 percent. Today, more American women – about 75 percent – said they thought divorce was morally acceptable, compared to about 66 percent of men. Women were also more accepting of having children out of wedlock.

The new survey was consistent with other recent polling that shows a clear shift among Americans as a whole on several key moral issues, such as same-sex relationships and human cloning. U.S. adults have become less inclined to support the death penalty and animal testing.