Gay marriage remains a divisive issue for many Americans, but majority of both supporters and opponents agree that it’s ‘”inevitable” and that it’s here to stay, according to a poll by Pew Research as reported by the Huffington Post.

In a recent poll released Thursday by Pew Research, 72 percent of Americans say that recognition of same-sex marriage is “inevitable”, a 13 percent increase from 2004.

More than half, or 59 percent of those who oppose to legalize gay marriage believe that it will nonetheless happen, and 85 percent of those who support legalization think it will happen, according to the poll.

Speaking to NBC’s Chuck Todd, Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) used the word “inevitable” in saying that though he opposed gay marriage, future Republican presidential contenders will back the policy.

The sea change in opinion over gay marriage is because more people have openly lesbian and gay acquaintances, according to Pew. It says, “The relationship between personal experiences and acceptance of homosexuality is a strong one.”

Almost eight out of 10 Americans, or 87 percent, say that they personally known someone who’s gay or lesbian, up 26 points 1993. Half of those polled say that the gay or lesbian connection is a close friend or family member.

Most Americans also say that they wouldn’t be upset if they learned that their child is gay or lesbian. Poll respondents say they will react positively or neutrally to the idea of more gays and lesbians raising children of their own.

Opposition to the homosexual lifestyle and gay marriage, however, is still widespread. Forty-five percent say people engaging in homosexual behavior is a sin, and 56 percent say that same-sex marriage is against their religion, both numbers though have dropped in the past 10 years.

Recent polls suggest, however, that the opposing views are no longer a clear majority. For the first time in a Pew survey, a majority of Americans (51 percent) say that they support gay marriage, up from 24 points in 1996.

Gallup has also found that a consistent majority of the public now supports gay marriage, according to the Huffington Post.

A Bloomberg poll, released this week, show that 52 percent of Americans support same-sex marriage. Sixty-one percent of supporters said it should be legalized nationally, while 37 percent said the issue should be handled by states individually.

The Pew Poll survey conducted by phone between May 1 and May 5 reached out to 1,504.