Sexual Prejudice in Portugal: Results from the First Wave European Study on Heterosexual’s Attitudes Toward Same-Gender Marriage and Parenting

Abstract

The objective of this study was to document the prevalence and evolution of sexual prejudice toward gay men and lesbian, same-gender marriage, and same-gender parenting among a large sample of Portuguese young adults. The sample consisted of 704 self-identified heterosexual individuals (24% men and 76% women), aged between 18 and 30 years (M = 22; SD = 3), who participated in an online survey. ANOVA results revealed that women were less sexually prejudiced, were less likely to endorse social etiological beliefs of homosexuality, and were more supportive of samegender marriage and same-gender parenting than were men. Further mediation analysis revealed that the effects of gender, religiosity, importance of religious beliefs, and political leaning on the support for same-gender marriage and same-gender parenting were partially mediated by etiological beliefs and attitudes toward gay men and lesbians. The complexity of attitudes toward same-gender marriage and same-gender parenting was highlighted, indicating how attitudes toward gay men and lesbians and the belief that homosexuality is controllable impact on the support for same-gender parented families. These results are important to inform affirmative polities designed to correct inequalities and recognize same-gender families.

Child Development in Same-Sex Families: Beliefs of Chinese Lesbians, Gays, and Heterosexuals

“…Our results confirmed H1b and H3, because heterosexual males had higher mean learned etiology scores than heterosexual females or LGs and the effects of learned etiology on IO (H3a) and NO (H3b) to same-sex parenting were significant in the overall sample. This is generally supportive of previous studies' results, which found that people who believe homosexuality is learned are more strongly opposed to samesex parenting than those who argue on behalf of genetic etiology (Costa et al, 2018;Frias-Navarro et al, 2018;Vecho et al, 2019). Notably, the paired samples t-test revealed LGs had higher means for genetic etiology, and heterosexual participants had higher means for learned etiology, which demonstrated the sexual orientation divide between the respondents in their beliefs about homosexuality etiology.…”

“…Moreover, sexual prejudices have been shown to have a larger mediating effect on religious beliefs, political preferences, and etiological beliefs in attitudes toward same-sex parenting for men than for women: Religious piety, conservative political orientation, and attributing homosexuality to learning lead to stronger sexual prejudices, and thus, more negative attitudes (Vecho et al, 2019). In addition, women were less likely than men to believe that homosexuality is learned (Costa, Carneiro, Esposito, D'Amore, & Green, 2018).…”

Heterosexual University Students’ Attitudes Toward Same-Sex Couples and Parents Across Seven European Countries

“…Sexual prejudice is an antecedent of negative attitudes toward SSM and LGP by fostering negative emotional reactions toward sexual minorities (Costa, Carneiro, Esposito, D'Amore, & Green, 2017;Herek, 2002). Consequently, the prevalence of negative attitudes creates contextual stressors that adversely affect gay people's health and families (Prendergast & MacPhee, 2018).…”

“…One of the most widespread aspects of discrimination toward LG people is the lack of equality in SSM and LGP (Hull, 2003). In particular, public policies that do not legally recognize SSM and LGP sometimes have negative impacts on couple's and family functions, parental legitimization by society in general, and social support from their family of origin, workplaces, and other healthcare, religious, and social settings (Costa et al, 2017).…”

“…Although many studies have investigated the sociodemographic and social psychological predictors of attitudes toward homosexuality and same-sex relations, the literature on heterosexuals' attitudes toward SSM and LGP in Europe remains scarce (Costa et al, 2017;Costa & Davies, 2012;Ioverno et al, 2018). In this study, we examined heterosexual youths' attitudes toward SSM and LGP and their predictors in seven European countries.…”