Over Two Million Gay and Lesbian People in the UK Want to Marry
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Younger UK Gays and Lesbians Plan to Become Parents. Over Two Million Gay and Lesbian People in the UK Want to Marry
- New data from the Out Now™ LGBT2020 global research study released today has revealed the overwhelming extent to which gay and lesbian people in the UK want to have their relationships recognised on an equal basis as their heterosexual counterparts. The research also reveals the increasing wish that younger lesbians and gay men have to become parents in the future.
- The UK's gay and lesbian population is overwhelmingly in favour of marriage equality and a majority of those under 35 want to become parents.
London, UK (OUTNOW) - February 5, 2013 -- Data released today from the world's largest research programme into the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people has for the first time revealed the extent to which this community wish to enter into officially recognised relationships.
The issue regarding same sex marriage has received extensive media coverage in recent weeks, including vociferous opposition from religious organisations and also right wing political circles. The new research is the first that shows the extent to which gay and lesbian people themselves are overwhelmingly in favour of having the option for their own partnerships to be recognised officially and on a completely equal basis with their straight peers.
The research - undertaken by the worldʼs leading LGBT consulting firm Out Now Global - is part of the LGBT2020 project, which is the largest study of its kind into the lives of LGBT people. To date nearly 100,000 respondents in over 20 countries have participated to give the clearest picture into the lives of LGBT around the world that there has ever been.
In the UK sample 3,885 respondents undertook the research. Latest UK results released today reveal that 73% of LGBT people would like to marry, or have already entered into a civil partnership or marriage already.
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Sex/gender identity |
Hope to enter Civil Partnership |
Do not intend to ever enter |
Have already entered |
Other |
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Man |
61% |
22% |
11% |
6% |
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Woman |
64% |
16% |
11% |
8% |
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Intersex/other |
61% |
9% |
7% |
23% |
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COLUMN TOTALS |
62% |
20% |
11% |
7% |
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Younger people appear to be more likely to be expectant of having the right to marry.
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Age |
Hope to enter Civil Partnership |
Do not intend to ever enter |
Have already entered |
Other |
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Under 18 years |
78% |
17% |
0% |
5% |
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18 - 24 |
77% |
16% |
1% |
6% |
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25 - 34 |
65% |
16% |
13% |
6% |
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35 - 44 |
44% |
27% |
22% |
7% |
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45 - 54 |
37% |
26% |
29% |
8% |
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55 - 64 |
22% |
25% |
37% |
16% |
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Over 65 years |
17% |
38% |
31% |
14% |
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COLUMN TOTALS |
62% |
20% |
11% |
7% |
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Half of all respondents (50%) intend to become parents in the future. 8% of respondents to the survey indicated that they are parents already.
Further analysis of the data reveals that different sections of the UK's LGBT community show an even greater propensity towards getting married and becoming parents.
The results reveal for example that 13% of the female respondents to the survey indicated that they are already parents, with a further 55% of the female respondents to the survey saying that they intend to become parents in the future.
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Sex/gender identity |
Already - parent with child/ren live with me |
Parent with child/ren not living with me |
Not yet parent but intend to become one in future |
Not a parent and no intention to become one |
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Man |
2% |
3% |
47% |
49% |
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Woman |
10% |
3% |
55% |
33% |
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Intersex/other |
14% |
12% |
42% |
33% |
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COLUMN TOTALS |
5% |
3% |
50% |
43% |
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The intention to marry or enter into civil partnerships is also more prevalent with younger LGBT people in the UK, with 77% of 18-24 year old respondents indicating that they wished to have the option for their relationships to be officially recognised in the future.
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Age |
Already - parent with child/ren live with me |
Parent with child/ren not living with me |
Not yet parent but intend to become one in future |
Not a parent and no intention to become one |
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Under 18 years |
0% |
0% |
71% |
29% |
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18 - 24 |
1% |
<1% |
73% |
26% |
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25 - 34 |
5% |
1% |
53% |
41% |
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35 - 44 |
10% |
5% |
19% |
65% |
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45 - 54 |
12% |
12% |
5% |
70% |
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55 - 64 |
3% |
21% |
2% |
74% |
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Over 65 years |
4% |
15% |
0% |
81% |
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COLUMN TOTALS |
5% |
3% |
50% |
43% |
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Darren Cooper, Senior Consultant of Out Now was keen to put these findings in context.
"The results of this survey are conclusive and reveal a trending generational shift in the expectations that LGBT people have about the society in which they live," Cooper said. "An increasing number of LGBT people unsurprisingly not only want to marry, but also become parents in the future too, and they are increasingly seeing this as not only feasible, but also well within their rights to be able to do so. Many are already entering into officially recognised relationships - whether that be civil partnerships in the UK, or full marriages in countries where these are legal."
Cooper said parenting is increasingly an option on the agenda of younger lesbians and gay men.
"What is striking about this data is the way we can see expectations shifting," Cooper said. "Out Now has undertaken LGBT specific research globally for 21 years now and what we are seeing in the UK is now happening in other places around the world, such as Australia, France, Canada and the USA. Younger gays and lesbians not only expect to be able to marry - they now tell us that parenting is also firmly on their life agenda."
Proposed new laws in the UK are being debated today in Parliament.
"The very vocal opposition from religious institutions and right-wing political circles to deny LGBT people their basic rights is clearly against the wishes and aspirations of LGBT people in the UK, and the clearly stated message from such opponents that granting gay and lesbian people equal rights will somehow be detrimental to society is quite clearly wrong considering the number of LGBT people who are married and who are also parents already," Cooper said. "Furthermore this kind of vilification not only runs the risk of alienating and damaging the efforts that over 250,000 lesbian and gay parents in the UK are already making in raising their families to the best of their ability, but also stigmatising innocent children in the process too. Surely it is now time that every valued member of our modern society is allowed to live their lives with the same rights and privileges that most people expect, and take for granted, without fear of being attacked simply for being themselves."
Out Now's research relied on the responses of 3,885 UK LGBT respondents who were sampled during the middle of 2012. Surveys were conducted online and collected in association with community organisations, social media networks and leading LGBT media in the UK. Partners include leading titles and websites such as Gay Times, DIVA magazine and others. If six percent of the adult population in the UK is gay or lesbian (based on Yankelovich MONITOR research and Out Now analysis) then the results from the 2012 LGBT2020 UK sample imply a total of 2.3 million UK gays and lesbians who would like the right to marry. Based on the LGBT2020 findings, 8% of UK respondents - over 250,000 gay and lesbian people in the UK - are already parents.
Media contact:
Darren Cooper, Out Now, darren.cooper@OutNowConsulting.com
About Out Now
Established in 1992, Out Now is the world's leading LGBT marketing organization and has for two decades been relied upon by many of the world's leading brands, organisations and tourism bodies for specialized gay and lesbian marketing insight and expertise. Services include research, training, strategy and communications.
Out Now clients include IBM, Toyota, Citibank, German National Tourist Office, TUI, Lufthansa, Berlin Tourism Marketing, Vienna Tourist Board, Visit Manchester, Stockholm Visitors Board and Lloyds TSB Banking Group.
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