Why people oppose same-sex marriage.

• Position: Life in America - Brief article

Why do opponents of same-sex marriage really oppose it? A psychology study from the University of California, Los Angeles, concludes that many people believe gay men and women are more sexually promiscuous than heterosexuals, which they may fear could threaten their own marriages and their way of life.

"Many people who oppose same-sex marriage are uncomfortable with casual sex and feel threatened by sexual promiscuity," says David Pinsof, a graduate student of psychology and lead author of the study. Such people often marry at a younger age, have more children, and believe in traditional gender roles in which men are the breadwinners...