FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: EQUALITY MARRIAGE SURVEY – SUPPORT FOR SAME-SEX MARRIAGE ABOVE ALL IN COUNTRIES WHICH ALREADY HAVE IT
ILGA and RIWI Corporation released today the results of a survey of the attitudes towards marriage equalitywhere national marriage legislation also includes same-sex couples or gender-neutral reference to the spouses. References to “gay marriage” that are sometimes made by media outlets and decision-makers incorrectly are incorrect, as no country has created a marriage law specifically for same-sex couples. conducted in 51 countries around the world. The study with over 50,000 respondents is the largest ever of its kind and was conducted using RIWI’s Random Domain Intercept Technology (RDIT™).
In countries where marriage equalitywhere national marriage legislation also includes same-sex couples or gender-neutral reference to the spouses. References to “gay marriage” that are sometimes made by media outlets and decision-makers incorrectly are incorrect, as no country has created a marriage law specifically for same-sex couples. does not exist, and where many still retain legislation criminalizing same-sex activities between consenting adults, large percentages of respondents answered the question “Should same-sex marriage be legal?” negatively, specifically: 76% in Ghana, 73% in Russia, 66% in Ukraine, 56% in Ecuador, 54% in Poland, 53% in Pakistan, 51% in Venezuela, 46% in Morocco, 46% Saudi Arabia, and 44% in India.
Conversely, in countries where legislation legalizing same-sex marriages is in place (Canada, the UK, New Zealand, Argentina, France, Portugal, and Spain), the majority of respondents answered the same question positively. Respondents of countries which have similar provisions in place or provisions with fewer rights than marriage or who are likely to adopt them in the near future, such as Australia, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy also responded positively the majority of the time.
Surprisingly, five countries where same-sex unions are legal actually had low public support for marriage equalitywhere national marriage legislation also includes same-sex couples or gender-neutral reference to the spouses. References to “gay marriage” that are sometimes made by media outlets and decision-makers incorrectly are incorrect, as no country has created a marriage law specifically for same-sex couples.. In South Africa, where same-sex marriage is legal, 50% of respondents were not in favour of it. Similarly, in Ecuador, Colombia, Chile, and Brazil where same-sex civil partnerships are legal 56%, 47%, 44%, and 41% of respondents responded negatively to the question.
In China, Israel and Japan, all countries where same-sex unions are not legal, respondents against and in favour were relatively close: in China, 38% were in favour and 34% against; in Israel 39% in favour and 41% against; and in Japan, 28% in favour and 30% against. Although more research needs to be done, this finding may suggest that these countries could be moving towards legalization of same-sex marriages, or at the least unions, to reflect the opinions of many citizens.
“Although ILGA’s top priorities – said ILGA Executive Director Renato Sabbadini – remain the universal decriminalization of same-sex sexual activities among consenting adults and the universal depathologisationthe recognition that no diverse sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or sex characteristics is an illness. Depathologisation allows trans people to access trans-specific healthcare without a mental health assessment or diagnosis. of transadjective/umbrella term to describe a person whose gender identity does not match the sex they were assigned at birth. and intersexan umbrella term for the spectrum of variations of sex characteristics that naturally occur within the human species. Intersex people are born with variations of sex characteristics (such as genitals, reproductive organs, hormonal and chromosomal patterns) that are more diverse than stereotypical definitions of male or female bodies. Up to 1.7% of the global population are born with such traits; yet, because their bodies are seen as different, intersex children and adults are often stigmatised and subject to harmful practices – including in medical settings - and discriminated against. persons, and marriage equalitywhere national marriage legislation also includes same-sex couples or gender-neutral reference to the spouses. References to “gay marriage” that are sometimes made by media outlets and decision-makers incorrectly are incorrect, as no country has created a marriage law specifically for same-sex couples. is not one of the top priorities for ILGA, there is no doubt that a survey exploring the acceptance of same-sex marriage is a useful indicator as to the general acceptance of LGBTIacronym for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex people. Although this is not the acronym available to describe people of diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, and sex characteristics, it is the most commonly used in United Nations spaces and advocacy. people by the societies they live in.”
“The results of this survey, in as far they can allow also to gauge the general acceptance by a population vis-à-vis minorities characterized by non-normative sexual orientations or genderrefers to a social construct which places cultural and social expectations on individuals based on their assigned sex. identities/expressions, do not come as a surprise to the many LGBTIacronym for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex people. Although this is not the acronym available to describe people of diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, and sex characteristics, it is the most commonly used in United Nations spaces and advocacy. activists all over the world – said also Sabbadini – although they do not help answer the question as to whether it is the laws that change perceptions in the population or if laws emerge once a population has already changed in relation to a certain minority.”
“More research is needed – said Eric Meerkamper, President of RIWI Corporation – and both RIWI and ILGA hope to find partners interested in future surveys covering a greater range of issues in relation to (the perception of) sexual orientationrefers to a person’s capacity for profound emotional, affectional and sexual attraction to - and intimate and sexual relations with - individuals of a different gender or the same gender or more than one gender. and gender identityrefers to a person’s deeply felt internal and individual experience of gender, which may or may not correspond with the sex assigned at birth., to be conducted both at the world level and at the regional level, to identify, if possible, which factors condition the most the social attitudes towards LGBTIacronym for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex people. Although this is not the acronym available to describe people of diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, and sex characteristics, it is the most commonly used in United Nations spaces and advocacy. people in society around the world.”
The Survey on perceptions of Marriage Equalitywhere national marriage legislation also includes same-sex couples or gender-neutral reference to the spouses. References to “gay marriage” that are sometimes made by media outlets and decision-makers incorrectly are incorrect, as no country has created a marriage law specifically for same-sex couples. can be found here
For more information on the State-Sponsored Homophobiafear, unreasonable anger, intolerance or/and hatred directed towards people attracted to others of the same gender. Report and on the related map contact:
Renato Sabbadini, Executive Director, ILGA
+41227313254
For more information on the Survey on perceptions of Marriage Equalitywhere national marriage legislation also includes same-sex couples or gender-neutral reference to the spouses. References to “gay marriage” that are sometimes made by media outlets and decision-makers incorrectly are incorrect, as no country has created a marriage law specifically for same-sex couples. you can contact:
Eric Meerkamper, President, RIWI Corporation
+1-416-205-9984
About ILGA
The International Lesbianadjective/noun to describe a woman whose enduring physical, romantic, and/or emotional attraction is to other women. Women and non-binary people may use this term to describe themselves., Gayadjective to describe people whose enduring physical, romantic, and/ or emotional
attractions are to people of the same gender. Men, women and non-binary people may use this
term to describe themselves., Bisexualadjective used to describe a person who has the capacity to form enduring physical, romantic, and/ or emotional attractions to those of the same gender or to those of other genders., Transadjective/umbrella term to describe a person whose gender identity does not match the sex they were assigned at birth. and Intersexan umbrella term for the spectrum of variations of sex characteristics that naturally occur within the human species. Intersex people are born with variations of sex characteristics (such as genitals, reproductive organs, hormonal and chromosomal patterns) that are more diverse than stereotypical definitions of male or female bodies. Up to 1.7% of the global population are born with such traits; yet, because their bodies are seen as different, intersex children and adults are often stigmatised and subject to harmful practices – including in medical settings - and discriminated against. Association, is the world federation of national and local organizations dedicated to achieving equal rights for lesbianadjective/noun to describe a woman whose enduring physical, romantic, and/or emotional attraction is to other women. Women and non-binary people may use this term to describe themselves., gayadjective to describe people whose enduring physical, romantic, and/ or emotional
attractions are to people of the same gender. Men, women and non-binary people may use this
term to describe themselves., bisexualadjective used to describe a person who has the capacity to form enduring physical, romantic, and/ or emotional attractions to those of the same gender or to those of other genders., transadjective/umbrella term to describe a person whose gender identity does not match the sex they were assigned at birth. and intersexan umbrella term for the spectrum of variations of sex characteristics that naturally occur within the human species. Intersex people are born with variations of sex characteristics (such as genitals, reproductive organs, hormonal and chromosomal patterns) that are more diverse than stereotypical definitions of male or female bodies. Up to 1.7% of the global population are born with such traits; yet, because their bodies are seen as different, intersex children and adults are often stigmatised and subject to harmful practices – including in medical settings - and discriminated against. (LGBTIacronym for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex people. Although this is not the acronym available to describe people of diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, and sex characteristics, it is the most commonly used in United Nations spaces and advocacy.) people. ILGA is an umbrella organization of more than 1200 member organizations across the world. ILGA’s aim is to work for the equality of lesbianadjective/noun to describe a woman whose enduring physical, romantic, and/or emotional attraction is to other women. Women and non-binary people may use this term to describe themselves., gayadjective to describe people whose enduring physical, romantic, and/ or emotional
attractions are to people of the same gender. Men, women and non-binary people may use this
term to describe themselves., bisexualadjective used to describe a person who has the capacity to form enduring physical, romantic, and/ or emotional attractions to those of the same gender or to those of other genders., transadjective/umbrella term to describe a person whose gender identity does not match the sex they were assigned at birth., and intersexan umbrella term for the spectrum of variations of sex characteristics that naturally occur within the human species. Intersex people are born with variations of sex characteristics (such as genitals, reproductive organs, hormonal and chromosomal patterns) that are more diverse than stereotypical definitions of male or female bodies. Up to 1.7% of the global population are born with such traits; yet, because their bodies are seen as different, intersex children and adults are often stigmatised and subject to harmful practices – including in medical settings - and discriminated against. people and their liberation from all forms of discriminationunequal or unfair treatment which can be based on a range of grounds - such as age, ethnic background, disability, and diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions or sex characteristics, amongst others..
About The RIWI Corporation
The RIWI Corporation (RIWI) is a global data capture company whose Random Domain Intercept Technology (RDIT™) is the only all-device technology capable of randomly intercepting online survey respondents in every country and territory in the world. A full description of the RDIT methodology can be found at: www.riwi.com