Traditional values regaining ground among Americans

Traditional values are gaining ground among Americans. This is evident from a Gallup survey on the moral acceptability of various behaviors, in which conservative views continue to gain ground year after year.

In the 2026 edition, this trend is particularly notable in six diverse issues: contraceptive methods, having a child out of wedlock, gambling, teenage sex, animal cloning, and support for gender reassignment.

In fact, on several of these points, support has reached its lowest level of any edition. This is the case with contraceptive methods, which, despite being viewed as morally acceptable by an overwhelming 83% of the population, have fallen below around 90% for the first time.

Gambling also continues to be viewed as acceptable by the majority (57%), though support has fallen from 66% the previous year to the lowest level recorded to date. Animal cloning, which has always been frowned upon by most Americans, reached an all-time low in 2026, with just 27% of people viewing it as morally acceptable.

Gender reassignment plummets 19 points

Trans procedures deserve special mention. Gender reassignment (without specifying whether the individual is a minor or an adult) is condemned by 57% of respondents, while 38% view it as acceptable. This represents a 19-point drop compared to previous years and marks the lowest level of support since the survey began.

One of the major controversial issues in recent years—and one on which support for Republicans in the upcoming midterms may largely depend—is abortion. And here, although a slight majority (51%) considers it morally acceptable, support has continued to fall significantly in recent years. Currently, 41% consider it unacceptable.

What Americans find most and least morally acceptable

In order of acceptance, the behaviors that raise moral concerns but are most accepted by Americans, according to Gallup, are: the use of contraceptives (83% in favor), divorce (74%), sex between a man and a woman outside of wedlock (65%), same-sex relationships (62%), and medical research using human embryonic stem cells (59%).

Conversely, the most unacceptable are cheating on a spouse in a marriage (89% against), human cloning (86%), polygamy (77%), suicide (70%) and animal cloning (64%), with the latter even with the consumption of pornography.