AT A TIME when much of Europe is striving to move forward in a Union embodying the refusal of all discrimination, Cyprus appears to be moving in the opposite direction.
Instead of showing a rise in tolerance, yesterday’s announcement of the results of a study into public opinion on homosexuality showed increasing intolerance of gays in the past few years.
More specifically, in 2001, 67 per cent of those asked said they thought gay sexual relationships were wrong. The figure remained the same in 2003. But in 2005 the number rose to 75 per cent, only to be exceeded in 2006, today reaching an alarming 80 per cent. Only three per cent of Cypriots categorically believed that being gay was not wrong.
As Lissandri Christoforou, member of the project, explained, the study covered a wide and equal range of social statuses. A total of 500 Cypriots were interviewed in their homes in all districts of the island, covering rural and urban areas.
Overall, the study showed that those who expressed the most negative feelings towards homosexuality were of little or no education, over 60 years old, from small or secluded communities and mostly from Paphos.
“It shows lack of culture when a nation does not accept homosexuality,” said Professor Theofano Papazisi, of the Aristotelio University of Thessaloniki at yesterday’s presentation. “Prejudice is an indicator of illiteracy, conservativeness and lack of interest in our fellow human beings and society in general; a society we expect to support us in our hour of need.”
“A society that accepts the unequal treatment of any of its members is a bad society,” Papazisi said.
And, she added, accepting homosexuality should not be seen as a favour to those who had suffered due to religious and political pressures, but as a means for homosexuals to obtain the rights the rest of society already have.
“Why are we so scared of homosexuals?” wondered Papazisi. “Why are we so afraid of allowing them to get married and adopt children?”
Concluding, Papazisi raised a well known theory: “Are homophobic people really just secret homosexuals?”
Ombudswoman Eliana Nicolaou and gay rights activist Alecos Modinos were also part of the project.
THE RESULTS
Asked what they thought about sexual relations between homosexuals, 54 per cent said it was always wrong, 26 per cent that it was mostly wrong, one in 10 said they didn’t mind, three per cent said it was rarely wrong and three per cent that it was never wrong.
The public’s opinion on whether people are born gay or influenced by their environment varied, with 24 per cent believing homosexuality is an inborn quality, 19 per cent that it was environmental and 57 per cent a mixture of both.
More than half of those asked, admitted to feeling uncomfortable around gay people (51 per cent), while 19 per cent said they felt very uncomfortable; 32 per cent said they felt relatively comfortable with it, and 15 per cent very comfortable. Mostly educated women and college students answered in the affirmative to this one. And it was mainly residents of the Paphos District who expressed their discomfort.
Six in ten admitted their opinions on homosexuality haven’t changed in the past few years, 27 per cent said they’d become more accepting but 15 per cent admitted their attitude towards gay people had got worse.
Fifty-eight per cent of the public said they would not like it if an important public figure was gay; 62 per cent would have a problem if it was their doctor, 44 per cent if it was their colleague, 75 per cent their friend, 51 per cent their neighbour, 86 per cent their child’s teacher, 93 per cent their child’s nanny and 84 per cent a close relative.
Only seven per cent said they agreed with gay marriages in Cyprus; 76 per cent said they disagreed with the introduction of a law legalising such weddings.
Eight in ten said they disagreed with gay couples adopting and raising children, mainly citing this would be a bad influence on the children and breed more homosexuality. But as Papazisi later pointed out, there are no reasonable grounds for such an opinion. “Homosexuals have heterosexual parents and so they obviously weren’t affected by their parents’ sexual preferences. So in the same trail of thought, why say gay parents will have a negative impact on the children they may adopt?”
Seven in ten Cypriots said they didn’t have any acquaintances that were gay. And out of the three that said they did, seven in ten said it was just an acquaintance, three in ten a friend, two in ten a colleague and seven per cent a relative.
When it came to answering hypothetical questions for their own children eleven per cent of parents said they would throw their son out on the streets if he told them he was gay. Three per cent said they would do so if it was their daughter. Sixty-eight per cent said they would try to change their son’s sexual preference and 69 per cent their daughter’s; 26 per cent said they would be hurt but would accept their son’s homosexuality; 18 per cent if it was their daughter. Only three per cent admitted they would have no problem with it, for both girls and boys.
Finally nine in ten said they wouldn’t like it if their child had a gay friend. Again most negative answers came from Paphos.
I don't mind gays. I don't mind gay marriages either. But gays adopting children is a bit too much I think.
