Preference about Laws for the Legal Recognition of Same-Sex Relationships in Taiwanese People Before and After Same-Sex Marriage Referenda: A Facebook Survey Study.

I-Hsuan Lin,Nai-Ying Ko,Wei-Hsin Lu,Yu-Te Huang,Cheng-Fang Yen,Mu-Hong Chen

doi:10.3390/ijerph17062000

Abstract

This study examined the factors related to the preference about laws to legalize same-sex relationships in participants of the first wave of a survey (Wave 1, 23 months before the same-sex marriage referendum) and the second wave of a survey (Wave 2, 1 week after the same-sex marriage referendum) in Taiwan. The data of 3286 participants in Wave 1 and 1370 participants in Wave 2 recruited through a Facebook advertisement were analyzed. Each participant completed an online questionnaire assessing their attitude toward the legal recognition of same-sex relationships, preference about laws to legalize same-sex relationships (establishing same-sex couple laws outside the Civil Code vs. changing the Civil Code to include same-sex marriage laws), belief in the importance of legalizing same-sex relationships, and perceived social attitudes toward the legal recognition of same-sex relationships. The results revealed that those who did not support legalizing same-sex relationships were more likely to prefer establishing same-sex couple laws outside the Civil Code than those who supported the legalization. The form of law preferred to legalize same-sex relationships significantly changed between Wave 1 and Wave 2. Multiple factors, including gender, age, sexual orientation, belief in the importance of legalizing same-sex relationships to human rights and the social status of sexual minorities, and perceived peers’ and families’ attitudes toward the legal recognition of same-sex relationships, were significantly associated with the preference of laws, although these associations varied among heterosexual and non-heterosexual participants and at various stages of the survey.

Highlights

The results indicated that in both Wave 1 and Wave 2 of the survey, those who did not support the legalization of same-sex relationships were more likely to prefer establishing same-sex couple laws outside the Civil Code than those who supported the legalization of same-sex relationships (p < 0.001)
The results indicated that in the Wave 1 survey, heterosexual participants who believed in the importance of legal recognition of same-sex relationships to human right equality and social status of sexual minority were more likely to prefer changing the Civil Code to include same-sex marriage laws instead of establishing same-sex couple laws outside the Civil Code, whereas heterosexual participants who perceived families’ unfavorable attitude toward legal recognition of same-sex relationship were more likely to prefer establishing same-sex couple laws outside the Civil Code instead of changing the
The results indicated that in both Wave 1 and Wave 2 surveys, non-heterosexual participants who believed in the importance of legal recognition of same-sex relationships to human right equality were more likely to prefer changing the Civil Code to include same-sex marriage laws instead of establishing same-sex couple laws outside the Civil Code

Summary

Introduction

As a form of structural-level discrimination, same-sex marriage bans socially excluded gay and lesbian individuals by differentially targeting them from heterosexual individuals and deny them the legal, financial, health-related, and other rights associated with marriage [1,2,3]. Research has demonstrated that same-sex marriage bans were associated with increased rates of psychiatric disorders in lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) populations [4] and suicidal behaviors in men who have sex with men (MSM) [5]. The legal recognition of same-sex relationships has been one of the major achievements of human right campaigns in the past three decades. The social and legal recognition of same-sex relationships can reduce discrimination against LGB individuals [6]. A recent study reported that same-sex marriage legalization accelerated the reduction of both implicit and explicit antigay bias in the United States [7]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion