I often hear in the media that Hispanics are “socially conservative.” For that sort of thing you do need “quick & dirty” rules-of-thumb, and the assertion seems broadly plausible. On the other hand, the Hispanic attitude toward gay marriage isn’t really that different from non-Hispanic white (see GSS MARHOMO variable). So I decided to query non-Hispanic white and Hispanic attitudes to a range of “hot-button” social issues in the GSS. I also broke it down by college vs. non-college educated cohorts. All results are from the year 2000 and later.
White non-Hispanic
Hispanic
No college
College
No college
College
Abortion on demand, yes
38
53
28
47
Abortion if serious defect, yes
75
70
67
79
Make divorce easier
23
16
44
28
Keep divorce laws same
23
34
17
40
Make divorce more difficult
55
50
38
32
Premarital sex always wrong
26
19
21
16
Premarital sex almost always wrong
8
8
10
7
Premarital sex sometimes wrong
18
23
20
13
Premarital sex not wrong at all
47
50
49
64
Homosexual sex always wrong
58
35
61
33
Homosexual sex almost always wrong
4
5
5
4
Homosexual sex sometimes wrong
6
11
7
9
Homosexual sex not wrong at all
32
48
27
55
Porn should be illegal to all
40
30
36
25
Porn should be illegal to under 18
57
67
60
70
Porn should be legal to all
3
3
4
4
Strongly favor spanking children
28
17
25
19
Favor spanking children
47
44
44
43
Do not favor spanking children
19
28
22
20
Strongly do not favor spanking children
6
11
9
17
Allow incurable patients to die
72
72
58
76
Strongly agree better for man to work, woman to tend home
10
5
14
9
Agree better for man to work, woman to tend home
31
19
32
16
Disagree better …