One in four Scottish men oppose homosexuality
One in three Scottish men oppose homosexuality, according to a new survey.(Mark Runnacles/Getty)
More than a fourth of Scottish men oppose homosexuality, according to a recent survey conducted by Survation for the Humanist Society Scotland.
The survey, “Tolerant Nation,” asked 1,003 Scottish people a series of questions regarding their attitudes to different religious beliefs and sexual preferences.
A total 20 percent of respondents said it was wrong for people to have relationships with people of the same-sex, compared to 67 percent did not think it was wrong.
More Scottish men oppose homosexuality than Scottish women
When broken down by gender, more men than women were found to have a negative view of same-sex relationships—28 percent of Scottish men oppose homosexuality compared to 13 percent of Scottish women.
“It is disappointing to see continued opposition to same-sex relationships amongst a minority but nevertheless sizeable proportion of the community.”
— Gordon MacRae
A much smaller percentage opposed sex before marriage—only 9 percent of all respondents.
Humanist Society Scotland Chief Executive Gordon MacRae said: “It is disappointing to see continued opposition to same-sex relationships amongst a minority but nevertheless sizeable proportion of the community.
“As Humanists we support individuals living a loving life with those who make them happy. There clearly continues to be work to be done to ensure Scotland is a fully inclusive nation for LGBT+ people.”
Colin Macfarlane, from Stonewall Scotland, highlighted the frequency of hate crime against LGBT+ people in Scotland in a statement to the Scottish newspaper The National.
One in five Scottish LGBT+ people has experienced hate crimes, according to Stonewall. (Robert Perry/Getty)
“We know that in Scotland one in five people have experienced a hate crime in the last year because of their sexual orientation or gender identity,” he said.
Macfarlane added: “Scotland has changed for the better over the course of the last 30 years but there is much more to be done before everyone is accepted without exception.”
In September, the Scottish government launched a campaign against homophobia and transphobia and, in July, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon became the first UK leader to lead a Pride event in the country when she addressed Glasgow pride, Scotland’s largest LGBT event.
During her speech, she paid tribute to Blair Wilson, the 21-year-old whose defiant, smiling selfie posted after suffering a homophobic attack went viral earlier that month.
Sturgeon also said: “Scotland values tolerance, Scotland values diversity, Scotland values respect for all, and above all Scotland values love. These values that are so precious to us are values that are under threat all over the world, more than they have been in my lifetime, so it is important that here in Glasgow, in Scotland’s biggest city we reaffirm these principles and values of tolerance, diversity, love and respect and let the whole world hear them.”
