Public Attitudes towards LGBT people in Ireland
Carmel Downes
Trinity College Dublin
Carmel Downes is a research assistant at the School of Nursing & Midwifery. She holds a Master’s in Applied Social Research Methods. Her research expertise and activities include the areas of mental health and later life well-being. She has been involved in a number of research projects within these areas, contributing to a programme of research into elder abuse in Ireland while at the National Centre for the Protection of Older People (NCPOP) and more recently being involved with colleagues from TCD in a national study of the mental health and well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people in Ireland.
Abstract
Background Research has shown that attitudes within society can have a direct impact on the lives and experiences of LGBT people. However, little is known about the current perspectives of the public on LGBT people in... [ view full abstract ]
Background
Research has shown that attitudes within society can have a direct impact on the lives and experiences of LGBT people. However, little is known about the current perspectives of the public on LGBT people in Ireland.
Study aim
To assess attitudes towards, and perceptions of, LGBT people among the Irish public.
Method
A survey design was chosen. The survey comprised 39 statements regarding attitudes towards LGBT people and was administered via telephone to a nationally representative sample of 1,008 people in Ireland aged 18-65 with quotas set on age, gender, class and region. Data analysis consisted of basic frequencies and bivariate analysis using Spearman Rho and Chi-Square tests. Ethical approval was received from the Research Ethics Committees of the Faculty of Health Sciences in Trinity College Dublin.
Findings
The findings showed largely positive public attitudes towards LGBT people, with the majority regarding LGB people’s sexual orientation as ‘normal’ (75%). However, misconceptions about sexual orientation were evident, with a significant minority reporting that being LGB is a choice (25%), and that young people cannot know their sexual orientation by age 12 (34%). Furthermore, 28% reported difficulty in accepting transgender people as ‘normal’. Despite a high level of reported non-acceptance of LGBT-focussed jokes (84%), tolerance of LBGT slagging was evident (13%-15%), with bullying in school being regarded as a normal part of school (28%).
Conclusions and Implications
The findings indicate that public attitudes towards LGBT people in Ireland are largely positive. However, several areas of concern were identified as requiring attention, including, misunderstandings about sexual orientation and gender identity, and an acceptance of a culture of bullying in schools. Given the harmful effects that negative and identity disconfirming attitudes, and bullying behaviour have on LGBT people’s positive identity development and mental well-being, education must be targeted at society to tackle residual homophobic, biphobic and transphobic attitudes.
Authors
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Carmel Downes
(Trinity College Dublin)
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Agnes Higgins
(Trinity College Dublin)
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Louise Doyle
(Trinity College Dublin)
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Rebecca Murphy
(Trinity College Dublin)
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Danika Sharek
(Trinity College Dublin)
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Jan De Vries
(Trinity College Dublin)
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Thelma Begley
(Trinity College Dublin)
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Edward McCann
(Trinity College Dublin)
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Fintan Sheerin
(Trinity College Dublin)
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Siobhan Smyth
(National University of Ireland Galway)
Topic Area
Topics: Mental Health
Session
MH1 » Mental Health 1 (10:30 - Wednesday, 9th November, Seminar Room 0.54)
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