ATTITUDES TOWARDS SAME-SEX PARTNERSHIP: A SOCIOLOGICAL RESEARCH OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN SPLIT (CROATIA)

Gorana Bandalović,Ines Uvodić,Zorana Šuljug Vučica

doi:10.12955/pss.v2.199

Abstract

One of the current dilemmas of modern society is how to look at homosexuals, same-sex partners, forming same-sex partnerships, and raising children in such communities. Homosexuals are classified as sexual minorities and are often excluded from society, which is not new because members of sexual minorities have long been accompanied by numerous persecutions and repressions. This paper aims to examine the attitudes of young people towards homosexuality and same-sex partnership. The paper presents the results of the research conducted in 2019 using a survey method on a sample of 303 respondents aged 15 to 35 years. The results show that most young people do not consider homosexuality to be a disease and approach LGBT people in the same way as the rest of society, not paying attention to someone's sexual orientation. Respondents are predominantly open to the possibility of marriage between same-sex partners while they to a lesser extent agree with the adoption and upbringing of children by same-sex partners. They believe that there is a difference in the upbringing of children raised by same-sex partners from children raised by heterosexual partners, which can be justified by the discrimination and violence to which children of same-sex partners are exposed to. Also, young people think that homosexual parents can be good parents and provide their children with everything they need and that it is better for children to grow up in same-sex families than in homes for abandoned children. Although they state that such communities are almost equal to heterosexual communities, they are aware of their exposure to social exclusion.

Highlights

The position of sexual minorities in the last 100 years in CroatiaMembers of sexual minorities have long been persecuted and repressed
To preserve their own lives, members of sexual minorities were forced into hiding (Itaborahy & Zhu as cited in Vučković Juroš, 2015)
Culminations could be observed in the 1950s when male homosexuality was criminalized (Mondimore as cited in Vučković Juroš, 2015)

Summary

Introduction

Members of sexual minorities have long been persecuted and repressed To preserve their own lives, members of sexual minorities were forced into hiding (Itaborahy & Zhu as cited in Vučković Juroš, 2015). Despite the events going on in the world, progress in Croatia in terms of the position of sexual minorities became visible only in the 1980s. During that period their position in society began to be discussed more and new social movements such as peace, environmental and feminist movements were strengthened. Initiatives for the establishment of the first lesbian organization in Croatia appeared in 1989, which was a kind of turning point because homosexuality became visible in the media as well as in popular culture (Vuletić as cited in Vučković Juroš, 2015)

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Results