The Times 'Gay Britain' Poll
Fieldwork: June 9th 2009 - June 10th 2009
published by The Times
Please say if you agree or disagree with each of the following statements.
Gay couples should have an equal right to get married, not just to have civil partnerships
| | All | Men | Women | AB | C1 | C2 | DE | Labour | Conservative | Lib Dem |
| Agree strongly | 32% | 24% | 41% | 33% | 35% | 32% | 29% | 39% | 25% | 38% |
| Agree somewhat | 29% | 31% | 27% | 29% | 25% | 33% | 30% | 25% | 29% | 35% |
| All AGREE | 61% | 55% | 68% | 62% | 60% | 65% | 59% | 64% | 54% | 73% |
| Disagree somewhat | 13% | 15% | 11% | 13% | 13% | 15% | 9% | 15% | 17% | 10% |
| Disagree strongly | 20% | 24% | 16% | 21% | 21% | 16% | 22% | 19% | 25% | 14% |
| All DISAGREE | 33% | 39% | 27% | 34% | 34% | 31% | 31% | 34% | 42% | 24% |
| Net 'Agree' | 28% | 16% | 41% | 28% | 26% | 34% | 28% | 30% | 12% | 49% |
| | 18-24 | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-54 | 55-64 | 65+ |
| Agree strongly | 42% | 49% | 41% | 30% | 22% | 17% |
| Agree somewhat | 28% | 29% | 34% | 30% | 33% | 20% |
| All AGREE | 70% | 78% | 75% | 60% | 55% | 37% |
| Disagree somewhat | 14% | 8% | 7% | 13% | 16% | 19% |
| Disagree strongly | 15% | 11% | 15% | 21% | 23% | 33% |
| All DISAGREE | 29% | 19% | 22% | 34% | 39% | 52% |
| Net 'Agree' | 41% | 59% | 53% | 26% | 16% | -15% |
Gay couples should have the same rights to adopt children as heterosexual couples
| | All | Men | Women | AB | C1 | C2 | DE | Labour | Conservative | Lib Dem |
| Agree strongly | 26% | 18% | 33% | 24% | 31% | 25% | 21% | 34% | 17% | 35% |
| Agree somewhat | 23% | 22% | 24% | 25% | 21% | 26% | 20% | 27% | 21% | 26% |
| All AGREE | 49% | 40% | 57% | 49% | 52% | 51% | 41% | 61% | 38% | 61% |
| Disagree somewhat | 13% | 15% | 10% | 14% | 13% | 11% | 12% | 11% | 14% | 11% |
| Disagree strongly | 34% | 42% | 27% | 35% | 30% | 34% | 39% | 26% | 43% | 24% |
| All DISAGREE | 47% | 57% | 37% | 49% | 43% | 45% | 51% | 37% | 57% | 35% |
| Net 'Agree' | 2% | -17% | 20% | 0% | 9% | 6% | -10% | 24% | -19% | 26% |
| | 18-24 | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-54 | 55-64 | 65+ |
| Agree strongly | 36% | 43% | 31% | 20% | 21% | 10% |
| Agree somewhat | 27% | 25% | 26% | 28% | 22% | 11% |
| All AGREE | 63% | 68% | 57% | 48% | 43% | 21% |
| Disagree somewhat | 15% | 11% | 13% | 13% | 8% | 15% |
| Disagree strongly | 21% | 18% | 28% | 34% | 42% | 55% |
| All DISAGREE | 36% | 29% | 41% | 47% | 50% | 70% |
| Net 'Agree' | 27% | 39% | 16% | 1% | -7% | -49% |
Gay couples should have exactly the same rights as heterosexual couples
| | All | Men | Women | AB | C1 | C2 | DE | Labour | Conservative | Lib Dem |
| Agree strongly | 40% | 33% | 46% | 44% | 44% | 37% | 34% | 41% | 36% | 47% |
| Agree somewhat | 28% | 29% | 27% | 28% | 24% | 34% | 28% | 25% | 25% | 34% |
| All AGREE | 68% | 62% | 73% | 72% | 68% | 71% | 62% | 66% | 61% | 81% |
| Disagree somewhat | 12% | 13% | 10% | 11% | 11% | 14% | 11% | 15% | 14% | 9% |
| Disagree strongly | 15% | 19% | 12% | 14% | 13% | 14% | 20% | 16% | 18% | 7% |
| All DISAGREE | 27% | 32% | 22% | 25% | 24% | 28% | 31% | 31% | 32% | 16% |
| Net 'Agree' | 41% | 30% | 51% | 47% | 44% | 43% | 31% | 35% | 29% | 65% |
| | 18-24 | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-54 | 55-64 | 65+ |
| Agree strongly | 48% | 60% | 48% | 38% | 36% | 17% |
| Agree somewhat | 31% | 24% | 26% | 34% | 29% | 26% |
| All AGREE | 79% | 84% | 74% | 72% | 65% | 43% |
| Disagree somewhat | 12% | 4% | 13% | 9% | 14% | 16% |
| Disagree strongly | 8% | 10% | 7% | 15% | 17% | 29% |
| All DISAGREE | 20% | 14% | 20% | 24% | 31% | 45% |
| Net 'Agree' | 59% | 70% | 54% | 48% | 34% | -2% |
As part of the school curriculum on relationships and sex education, children should be taught that gay relationships are exactly equal in status to heterosexual relationships
| | All | Men | Women | AB | C1 | C2 | DE | Labour | Conservative | Lib Dem |
| Agree strongly | 27% | 20% | 33% | 27% | 31% | 26% | 23% | 33% | 22% | 34% |
| Agree somewhat | 24% | 23% | 24% | 22% | 22% | 29% | 22% | 20% | 22% | 29% |
| All AGREE | 51% | 43% | 57% | 49% | 53% | 55% | 45% | 53% | 44% | 63% |
| Disagree somewhat | 14% | 15% | 13% | 14% | 14% | 12% | 15% | 20% | 15% | 14% |
| Disagree strongly | 30% | 37% | 22% | 31% | 28% | 29% | 30% | 17% | 36% | 19% |
| All DISAGREE | 44% | 52% | 35% | 45% | 42% | 41% | 45% | 37% | 51% | 33% |
| Net 'Agree' | 7% | -9% | 22% | 4% | 11% | 14% | 0% | 16% | -7% | 30% |
| | 18-24 | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-54 | 55-64 | 65+ |
| Agree strongly | 39% | 44% | 35% | 23% | 20% | 9% |
| Agree somewhat | 28% | 27% | 27% | 30% | 19% | 15% |
| All AGREE | 67% | 71% | 62% | 53% | 39% | 24% |
| Disagree somewhat | 12% | 10% | 8% | 17% | 16% | 19% |
| Disagree strongly | 18% | 18% | 27% | 24% | 37% | 46% |
| All DISAGREE | 30% | 28% | 35% | 41% | 53% | 65% |
| Net 'Agree' | 37% | 43% | 27% | 12% | -14% | -41% |
Would you be more likely or less likely to vote for a political party that you generally sympathised with, if the party leader was openly gay - or would it make no difference at all to your likelihood of voting for them?
| | All | Men | Women | AB | C1 | C2 | DE | Labour | Conservative | Lib Dem |
| More likely | 2% | 2% | 1% | 1% | 3% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 4% |
| Less likely | 12% | 15% | 10% | 12% | 11% | 10% | 16% | 16% | 16% | 5% |
| Make no difference | 84% | 81% | 86% | 87% | 82% | 87% | 80% | 81% | 80% | 91% |
| Net 'More likely' | -10% | -13% | -9% | -11% | -8% | -9% | -15% | -15% | -15% | -1% |
| | 18-24 | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-54 | 55-64 | 65+ |
| More likely | 1% | 2% | 2% | 0% | 1% | 2% |
| Less likely | 11% | 7% | 6% | 9% | 17% | 23% |
| Make no difference | 88% | 90% | 90% | 88% | 79% | 70% |
| Net 'More likely' | -10% | -5% | -4% | -9% | -16% | -21% |
Please say whether...
There is an openly gay person in your immediate family?
| | All | Men | Women | AB | C1 | C2 | DE | Labour | Conservative | Lib Dem |
| Yes | 12% | 9% | 15% | 13% | 10% | 17% | 11% | 15% | 9% | 17% |
| No | 88% | 91% | 85% | 87% | 90% | 83% | 89% | 85% | 91% | 83% |
| Net 'Yes' | -76% | -82% | -70% | -74% | -80% | -66% | -78% | -70% | -82% | -66% |
| | 18-24 | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-54 | 55-64 | 65+ |
| Yes | 10% | 17% | 17% | 9% | 15% | 6% |
| No | 90% | 83% | 83% | 91% | 85% | 94% |
| Net 'Yes' | -80% | -66% | -66% | -82% | -70% | -88% |
You have ever had a same-sex sexual experience?
| | All | Men | Women | AB | C1 | C2 | DE | Labour | Conservative | Lib Dem |
| Yes | 4% | 3% | 4% | 3% | 5% | 4% | 2% | 3% | 4% | 4% |
| No | 96% | 97% | 96% | 97% | 95% | 96% | 98% | 97% | 96% | 96% |
| Net 'Yes' | -92% | -94% | -92% | -94% | -90% | -92% | -96% | -94% | -92% | -92% |
| | 18-24 | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-54 | 55-64 | 65+ |
| Yes | 7% | 6% | 4% | 3% | 0% | 3% |
| No | 93% | 94% | 96% | 97% | 100% | 97% |
| Net 'Yes' | -86% | -88% | -92% | -94% | -100% | -94% |
There is an openly gay person in your close circle of friends?
| | All | Men | Women | AB | C1 | C2 | DE | Labour | Conservative | Lib Dem |
| Yes | 43% | 37% | 48% | 46% | 47% | 38% | 38% | 49% | 42% | 43% |
| No | 57% | 63% | 52% | 54% | 53% | 62% | 62% | 51% | 58% | 57% |
| Net 'Yes' | -14% | -26% | -4% | -8% | -6% | -24% | -24% | -2% | -16% | -14% |
| | 18-24 | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-54 | 55-64 | 65+ |
| Yes | 50% | 51% | 49% | 40% | 45% | 26% |
| No | 50% | 49% | 51% | 60% | 55% | 74% |
| Net 'Yes' | 0% | 2% | -2% | -20% | -10% | -48% |
If your child came out as gay, which of the following best describes how you would react?
| | All | Men | Women | AB | C1 | C2 | DE | Lab | Con | Lib Dem |
| I would embrace it - it wouldn't be an issue | 41% | 36% | 45% | 45% | 42% | 40% | 36% | 44% | 36% | 58% |
| I would feel upset but try to understand and come to terms with it | 45% | 46% | 44% | 43% | 44% | 49% | 44% | 42% | 31% | 47% |
| I would not accept it - I think it is unnatural and would reject them | 9% | 13% | 5% | 7% | 7% | 9% | 12% | 12% | 11% | 8% |
| I don't know how I would react | 4% | 4% | 4% | 3% | 5% | 2% | 5% | 2% | 2% | 3% |
| | 18-24 | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-54 | 55-64 | 65+ |
| I would embrace it - it wouldn't be an issue | 46% | 54% | 47% | 44% | 38% | 20% |
| I would feel upset but try to understand and come to terms with it | 42% | 34% | 43% | 42% | 49% | 55% |
| I would not accept it - I think it is unnatural and would reject them | 8% | 8% | 6% | 6% | 10% | 13% |
| I don't know how I would react | 3% | 2% | 4% | 2% | 2% | 9% |
Have you heard the word 'gay' used as an insult, as in "That's so 'gay'"? If you don't regard the phrase ‘That's so gay?' as insulting to gay people, please say so.
| | All | Men | Women | AB | C1 | C2 | DE | Labour | Conservative | Lib Dem |
| Yes, I have used that phrase 'That's so gay' myself | 13% | 16% | 9% | 10% | 16% | 13% | 12% | 12% | 12% | 13% |
| Yes, I have heard my children, or another member of my family or someone in my social circle use the phrase 'That's so gay' | 34% | 35% | 33% | 39% | 37% | 30% | 27% | 36% | 35% | 33% |
| No, I have not heard anyone use the phrase 'That's so gay' - or used it myself | 24% | 21% | 27% | 21% | 21% | 25% | 30% | 25% | 26% | 23% |
| I don't regard the phrase 'That's so gay' as insulting to gay people | 34% | 35% | 33% | 36% | 31% | 37% | 34% | 35% | 31% | 37% |
| | 18-24 | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-54 | 55-64 | 65+ |
| Yes, I have used that phrase 'That's so gay' myself | 37% | 22% | 14% | 5% | 4% | 3% |
| Yes, I have heard my children, or another member of my family or someone in my social circle use the phrase 'That's so gay' | 60% | 46% | 34% | 38% | 21% | 15% |
| No, I have not heard anyone use the phrase 'That's so gay' - or used it myself | 8% | 13% | 17% | 21% | 31% | 46% |
| I don't regard the phrase 'That's so gay' as insulting to gay people | 25% | 31% | 40% | 35% | 39% | 32% |
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