Complete results of the poll (PDF)
Half of Canadian men and women believe that homosexuality is an “abnormal condition”
A Léger Marketing survey carried out for Fondation Émergence, for the National Day Against Homophobia, reveals that 49% of Canadian men and women believe that homosexuality is an “abnormal condition”. Furthermore, 66% of respondents stated that they were, in spite of everything, comfortable with homosexuality.
Debate on same-sex marriage/family
The debate on same-sex marriage has stirred up reactions from all sides. The survey conducted for Fondation Émergence makes it possible to confirm Canadians' acceptance level of such a wedding within their family. Consequently, we discover that more than one third of respondents, that is 35%, claim to be against the union of an immediate member of their family with a person of the same sex, whereas 28% of respondents would decline to attend a same-sex couple's wedding if they were invited.
Knowing gays or lesbians
Once again, Quebecers show a greater acceptance of gay and lesbian realities. They are more numerous than other Canadians in knowing their gay or lesbian family members: 29% of respondents in Québec versus 22% in Canada. In the workplace, 47% of those in Québec versus 38% of those in Canada know some gays or lesbians, and 43% of those in Québec and 39% of those in Canada know some gays or lesbians among their circle of friends.
Awareness-raising and educational campaigns
The survey results show the need to organise awareness-raising and educational campaigns on gay and lesbian realities, such as the National Day Against Homophobia. This is also the opinion of 70 % of respondents who believe that gays and lesbians are justified in conducting campaigns to combat homophobia and discrimination in terms of human rights. Lastly, the most encouraging aspect of the survey is seeing that nearly one quarter, that is 24%, of Canadians asked say that they have a more positive perception of homosexuality than they did five years earlier.
The survey was conducted among 1507 Canadian men and women from May 3 to 11, 2005.
Complete results of the poll (PDF)
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