DNA Web Poll Respondents Favour Gay Marriage
A majority of DNA readers who responded to our online polls favour gay marriage.
Date: 4-Jun-2008
We recently ran two polls on the DNA website asking two questions about gay marriage, with the results of both showing a large majority were in favour of gay marriage – for themselves and for society.
The polls were run in response to a newspaper article by ‘conservative Catholic gay writer’ John Heard, claiming “ordinary, same sex-attracted Australians” are not behind the push for gay marriage.
Our polls were then cited by Heard on his blog, with him concluding that 89 per cent of our respondents had said marriage was not for them. Whether he inadvertently or deliberately misinterpreted the results, Heard is mistaken in his analysis of these DNA polls.
The results showed that 68 per cent of respondents would marry their same-sex partner if they could, while the remaining 32 per cent would not, even if they could.
We then asked only that minority of people who said they would not marry if they could if they supported the idea of gay marriage for others – with 88 per cent saying they supported the idea for others.
Heard came to his original newspaper article conclusion about same sex-attracted Australians not being behind the gay marriage push using research found in the 2006 Private Lives Report by LaTrobe University.
In fact, in that report 52.1 per cent of gay male respondents who were actually in a current relationship said they had no intention whatsoever to have a formal or legal commitment to that particular current partner.
Almost 31 per cent said they either intended to or had discussed the possibility of participating in a commitment ceremony of some form with their current partner. Seventeen percent said they were undecided either way.
The polls were run in response to a newspaper article by ‘conservative Catholic gay writer’ John Heard, claiming “ordinary, same sex-attracted Australians” are not behind the push for gay marriage.
Our polls were then cited by Heard on his blog, with him concluding that 89 per cent of our respondents had said marriage was not for them. Whether he inadvertently or deliberately misinterpreted the results, Heard is mistaken in his analysis of these DNA polls.
The results showed that 68 per cent of respondents would marry their same-sex partner if they could, while the remaining 32 per cent would not, even if they could.
We then asked only that minority of people who said they would not marry if they could if they supported the idea of gay marriage for others – with 88 per cent saying they supported the idea for others.
Heard came to his original newspaper article conclusion about same sex-attracted Australians not being behind the gay marriage push using research found in the 2006 Private Lives Report by LaTrobe University.
In fact, in that report 52.1 per cent of gay male respondents who were actually in a current relationship said they had no intention whatsoever to have a formal or legal commitment to that particular current partner.
Almost 31 per cent said they either intended to or had discussed the possibility of participating in a commitment ceremony of some form with their current partner. Seventeen percent said they were undecided either way.
Would you marry if you could?
If you could, would you marry your same-sex partner?
No for me. But for you...
If you're not keen on same-sex marriage for yourself, do you still support the right of other gays to marry?
