New research finds almost 60% in favor of adoption by gay parents in Brazil

The sign reads: I want a family.

Almost 60% of Brazilians are for adoption by gay couples

A research issued by the online panel CONECTA/Ibope released last Monday (25/03/13) found that 57% of the Brazilian internet users are for adoption by gay couples, regardless of being men or women. If interviewees who are openly gay or bisexual are taken into consideration altogether, that number shoots up to 97%.
According to the research, which has heard 2,363 internet users all over Brazil, between March 11th and 19th, among all interviewees, regardless of their sexual orientation, 45% said to be willing to adopt a child. Among those who are openly gay, that number rises to 60%.


The most recurring reason among those who disagree with adoption by same-sex couples is that “in the future, it might influence the child’s sexual orientation”, and also the fear that the child could suffer due to other people’s prejudice against their parents’ orientation.

One third of gay people do not assume at home or at work

According to the research, most of the interviewees said that they do not assume their sexual orientation in the family by fear of rejection (57%). Other fears include “being expulsed from home” (14%), “shame” (12%), “not assuming to the family” (9%) and “religious reasons” (5%).

At work, the fear of rejection is also the main reason why homosexuals avoid assuming their orientation (32%), but it goes along with the fear that their sexual orientation might interfere with their professional career (24%). Shame (20%), fear of losing the job (8%) and religious reasons (4%) were also appointed as reasons to hide the sexual orientation.

Acceptance

According to Ibope, 34% of the interviewees said that if a family member came out, they would support them, whereas 7% said they would be against, 28% indifferent and 31% didn’t know how to answer.

At work, 37% of the interviewees said they are in favor of workmates’ coming out, 1% said to be against, 29% are indifferent and 33% didn’t know how to answer. As to friends, 65% said to be in favor of having friendship with gay people, 4% against, 19% indifferent and 12% didn’t know how to answer.

More numbers

Among the interviewees who assume their homosexuality or bisexuality, men appear in greater number than women: 16% and 8%, respectively. The research also found that the younger someone is, the more they assume their sexual orientation: 15% of those are up to 29 years old; 10% are between 30 and 49 years old; and only 5% are at 50 years old and above.

The North Region appears as having the least presence of gay people, with only 2% of the interviewees being bisexual or homosexual. Numbers that lie far below the ones found in all the other regions of Brazil: South (10%) Southeast (13%), Northeast (13%) and Center-West (14%).

In relation to social class, B-class was found to have more homosexuals and bisexuals, with 14% of the interviewees. The figure slightly falls to 11% in A-class and levels off in 10% both for C-class and D-class.

Gay marriage

Asked if they intend to get married, once Brazilian law allows gay people with civil partnership unions, 43% of the homosexuals and bisexuals said that they certainly would, whereas 22% said that they would probably get married. The figure represents two-thirds of the total amount of interviewees who declared to be willing to set up a union.

Other 25% do not know or had never thought about it and 7% and 4% said that wouldn’t probably get married and certainly wouldn’t, respectively. According to research, 47% of the Brazilian internet users said to be in favor of the civil marriage between same-sex people.

Religion

According to research, 42% of the gay people declared no to have a religion. Comparatively, that number is 13% among heterosexuals. Most of the interviewees who did not want to answer about their sexual orientation are catholic (53%).


Report issued in Portuguese by Terra
Translated by Sergio Viula for the blog Fora do Armário