Interfax: Most Russians oppose same-sex marriage – poll

(Interfax – July 10, 2015)

Less than a quarter of Russians believe sexual orientation is a person’s personal business and a majority oppose the legalization of same-sex marriage, a public opinion poll conducted by the All-Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VTsIOM) shows.

The poll, which surveys 1,600 people living in 130 populated areas of 46 regions of Russia, was conducted on April 11-12 and July 4-5.

Almost a quarter of the respondents (22 percent) believe sexual preferences are a person’s private business and said they don’t care about the sexual orientation of people they talk with. Meanwhile, 20 percent of respondents said people of non-traditional sexual orientation need medical assistance and another 20 percent believe they should be isolated from society.

Fifteen percent of respondents believe homosexuals are normal people, but said they personally would not like to communicate with them. Another 15 percent said homosexuality is a social disease and treatment should be given to society, not gays and lesbians. Eight percent of the respondents were undecided.

Meanwhile, 80 percent of respondents believe homosexuals should not have a right to marry people of the same sex. Only 8 percent said they believe such unions should be legalized and 6 percent believe they are undecided on the issue of the legalization of same-sex marriage.

Responding to a question as to what the state policy on sexual minorities should be, 41 percent of respondents said that the authorities should eradicate homosexuality as a phenomenon and prosecute gays and lesbians. Most of these respondents are people older than sixty (53 percent).

Thirty-two percent of respondents believe the state should not take an interest in citizens’ social orientation and citizens, for their part, should not try to advertise their preferences. Twelve percent of respondents believe the state should defend the rights of sexual minorities, but should not allow them to make families, adopt children or use in vitrio insemination. Three percent of respondents believe same-sex marriage should be legalized, but without the right to raise children. Another 3 percent of respondents believe homosexual couples should have the same rights as straight couples. Nine percent of respondents were undecided.