SWS: 85% Pinoys believe gays, lesbians have right to be protected from discrimination

Some 85 percent of Filipinos believe gays and lesbians have the right to be protected against any form of discrimination.

 

This was one of the findings in a survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations in June 2013, but which were made public only on Friday.

 

Also, the SWS noted that of six statements about gays and lesbians asked the respondents in June and September 2013, "results showed sympathetic attitude on five issues, and unsympathetic on one issue." 

 

It said the only statement where opinions are more on the unsympathetic side was "the belief that Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, or AIDS, can be considered as a sickness of gays and lesbians."

 

The SWS surveys in the second and third quarters of 2013 were conducted on June 28 to 30, and September 20 to 23, respectively.

 

Both surveys interviewd of 1,200 adults nationwide, 300 each in Metro Manila, the Balance of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

 

Sampling error margins of ±3% for national percentages, and ±6% for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao applied to the survey.

 

“I have here some statements which may reflect how people feel or think about gays or lesbians. Please tell me if you agree or disagree with these statements. You may indicate your answers by placing the card with the statement in the appropriate place in this rating board. (STRONGLY AGREE, SOMEWHAT AGREE, UNDECIDED IF AGREE OR NOT, SOMEWHAT DISAGREE, or STRONGLY DISAGREE)[Mayroon ako ritong mga statements o pangungusap na maaaring maglarawan sa nararamdaman o naiisip ng mga tao ngayon tungkol sa mga bakla, lesbiyana o tomboy. Pakisabi po kung kayo ay sumasang-ayon o hindi sumasang-ayon sa mga statements o pangungusap na ito. Pakilagay lang po ang kard na may pangungusap sa naaangkop na lugar sa rating board na ito. (LUBOS NA SUMASANG-AYON, MEDYO SUMASANG-AYON, HINDI TIYAK KUNG SUMASANG-AYON O HINDI, MEDYO HINDI SUMASANG-AYON, o LUBOS NA HINDI SUMASANG-AYON)]," the introductory statement said.

 

SWS said the findings were presented in the paper “Measuring Homophobia in the Philippines,” by Vladymir Joseph Licudine and Ma. Leah Czarina Aldave at the XVII World Congress of Sociology, held in Yokohama, Japan, on July 13 to 19, 2014.

 

Questions

 

When asked “Just like me, gays and lesbians also have the right to be protected against any form of discrimination [Tulad ko, ang mga bakla, lesbiyana o tomboy ay may karapatan ding proteksyonan laban sa kahit na anong uri ng diskriminasyon],” 85 percent agreed, five percent disagreed, and 10 percent were undecided.

 

On the question of whether gays and lesbians are trustworthy, 67 percent agreed and 18 percent disagreed.

 

In the social weather survey conducted September 20 to 23, 2013, 67 percent agreed and 18 percent disagreed that “Gays or lesbians are just as trustworthy as any other Filipino [Ang mga bakla, lesbiyana o tomboy ay mapagkakatiwalaan tulad rin ng ibang Pilipino].”

 

The remaining 14% are undecided on this matter, the SWS said.

 

On the question on whether gays and lesbians have contributed a lot to societal progress, 54 percent agreed and 24 percent disagreed.

 

In the September 2013 survey, 54 percent agree with the statement, “Gays or lesbians have contributed a lot in the progress of our society [Malaki ang naitulong ng mga bakla, lesbiyana o tomboy sa ikinaunlad ng ating lipunan]” or less than the 60 percent in June 2013.

 

"Compared to June 2013, the proportion of those who disagree rose from 16 to 24 percent, while those who are undecided hardly moved from 23 to 21 percent," the SWS said.

 

When asked if being gay or lesbian is a form of mental illness, 54 percent disagreed while 25 percent agreed.

 

In June 2013, 54 percent disagreed and 25 percent agreed to the statement that “Being gay or lesbian is a form of mental illness [Ang pagiging bakla, lesbiyana o tomboy ay isang uri ng sakit sa pag-iisip].”

 

About 20 percent were undecided, and one percent did not give an answer.

 

When asked if being gay or lesbian is contagious, 45 percent disagreed while 38 percent agreed.

 

On the statement “Being gay or lesbian is contagious [Nakakahawa ang pagiging bakla, lesbiyana o tomboy],” the September 2013 survey found 45 percent disagreed and 38 percent agreed. Sixteen percent are undecided, and one percent did not give an answer.

 

But when asked if Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) can be considered a sickness of gays or lesbians, 45 percent agreed and 33 percent disagreed.

 

The September 2013 survey found that a "plurality" 45 percent agreed and 33 percent disagreed with the statement that AIDS "can be considered as a sickness of gays and lesbians [Ang Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome o AIDS ay maituturing na sakit ng mga bakla, lesbiyana o tomboy].”

 

About 21 percent were undecided, while one percent did not give an answer. — Joel Locsin/VC, GMA News