Public opinion poll: Majority of Russians oppose gay marriages and a gay President but support ban on sexual orientation discrimination
Public opinion poll conducted by Levada Centre ordered by charitable fund Raduga for the project GayRussia.Ru
Poll ordered specially for the International Day against homophobia to measure the level of homophobia in Russian society
15-18 April 2005 (1600 people all along Russia interviewed)
1. If before the elections of the President of Russia the candidate you like and for whom you decided to give your vote announces about his homosexuality, you will most likely
1. still vote for this candidate 13,8%
2. will vote for another candidate 42,8%
3. will vote against all candidates or will not go for the elections at all 21%
4. I never take part in the elections and do not plan to take part 5,3%
5. don’t know 17,1%
For the majority of Russians the sexual orientation of the presidential candidate is still a crucial thing. Only less than 14% of Russians will still vote for their preferred candidate if he says he is a homosexual. Sexual orientation of the presidential candidate is more important for Russians than his political manifesto and program. This sharply contrasts with the similar poll conducted in France where for the absolute majority of French (73%) the most important is the program of the candidate and not his sexuality (poll conducted by SOFRES for Tetu on 20 February 2002).
2. The Netherlands, Belgium and Canada allowed same-sex couples to marry. You would be for or against that in Russia marriages between people of the same sex (gays or lesbians) are allowed?
1. definitely for 3,6%
2. rather for 10,7%
3. rather against 28,8%
4. definitely against 44,6%
5. don’t know 12,3%
The absolute majority (73,4%) of Russians are against the legalization of same-sex marriages. Only 14,3% give their support for the idea. This vividly shows that the issue of gay marriages is not on the agenda of the Russian society and that the recent attempt to register a sham gay marriage in Moscow is in sharp dissonance with the Russian society.
3. You would be for or against that discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and incitement to hatred against gays and lesbians are forbidden by law?
1. definitely for 14,2%
2. rather for 28,6%
3. rather against 22,5%
4. definitely against 13,6%
5. don’t know 21,1%
Majority of Russians (42,8%) support a legal ban on discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. 36,1% of Russians do not think this is needed. This is the first case of conducting polls on gay issues in Russia that the Russian society vividly supports rights of homosexuals. This shows that the Russian society is not as homophobic and intolerant as is deemed. Russians are ready to support a bill on equality for gay people. The issue of antidiscrimination legislation also proves to be the most urgent line of action for gay activists in Russia as this is the sphere where the real progress can be reached by lobbying the state institutions.
4. Do you think homosexual relations between consenting adults should or should not be prosecuted in Russia?
1. should be prosecuted 43,5%
2. should not be prosecuted 37,9%
3. don’t know 18,6%
The majority of Russians support reintroduction of criminal prosecution for consensual homosexuality. Though the numbers of those undecided are very high. Such course of legal action is not possible in Russia in any case due to membership in the Council of Europe.
Detailed analyses of each question of the poll will be published at our web site at http://www.gayrussia.ru in the coming days.
The results of the poll can be republished provided Levada Centre is mentioned and the link is given to http://www.GayRussia.ru
GayRussia.Ru
Coordinators of the International Day against homophobia in Russia
