Friday, May 20, 2011

Nearly 80 Percent Of Spanish Youth Support Gay Marriage

A super majority (77%) of Spanish teens support gay marriage.

Spain legalized marriage between members of the same sex in 2005 over the loud objections of the Catholic Church. 
Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, who is running for a third consecutive term in early 2012, has said he's proud of the legislation. 

At a recent public mass, the church urged Spaniards to embrace conservative candidate Mariano Rajoy, who has pledged to “change” the law.

A recent survey released by the Institute for Youth (Instituto de Juventud) found widespread support for gay rights among teens, El Mundo reported.

Eighty-six percent of those surveyed between the ages of 15 and 19 said they believe it's OK to talk about sexual minorities, and a large majority accept gay relationships, although with slightly greater acceptance of lesbian couples (84%) over male gay couples (81%). 

A large majority (74%) also accept transgender adults and 54% say they have gay friends.

But most still believe it would be difficult for a gay teen to come out to his or her parents (father, 67%, mother, 52%).

“Youth has normalized sexual diversity and rejected sexual discrimination, but for gay teens it is not easy being out in school,” warned Antonio Poveda, president of the gay rights group Federacion Estatal de Lesbianas, Gais, Transexuales y Bisexuales (FELGTB), citing an increase in anti-gay bullying.