Pew Research Center has collected data over the past two years from several studies about attitudes regarding LGBTQ+ people worldwide. Their research gathered from 32 countries has revealed what populations have the most and least support, generational differences, gender divides in opinion and more.
According to Pew, Sweden has the highest support level for same-sex marriage, with a 92% favorability rating. Same-sex marriage has been legal in the Scandinavian country since 2009. It’s followed closely by the Netherlands at 89%, the first country to legalize same-sex marriage in 2001. Overall, Western and Southern European countries had the highest levels of support for same-sex marriage, with Spain at 87%, France at 82%, Germany at 80%, the United Kingdom at 74% and Italy at 73%.
The country in North America with the most supportive view of same-sex marriage is Canada, with a rating of 79% favorable. Same-sex marriage has been legal in Canada since 2005 and even earlier in provinces like Ontario (2003) and British Columbia (2003). Mexico and the United States both scored a 63% favorability rating.
In the Asia-Pacific, Australia scored a 75% in support of same-sex marriage, with Japan (68%), Vietnam (65%) and Thailand (60%) also showing a majority supportive rating.
Of the two South American countries included, Argentina had the highest favorability rating at 67%, followed by Brazil at 52%.
The countries with the lowest support ratings for same-sex marriage were Nigeria (2%), Indonesia (5%), Kenya (9%) and Malaysia (17%). These four countries also criminalize various expressions of homosexuality.
Homosexuality is illegal in Nigeria, with punishment including the death penalty. In Kenya, same-sex activity between men is punishable by up to 14 years in prison. In Indonesia and Malaysia, same-sex activity and transgender expression are punishable by lengthy prison sentences and corporal punishment.
Pew also looked at the difference in support for same-sex marriage by generation. In the surveyed countries, citizens aged 18-34 had higher levels of support than those aged 35 and up. The most significant gaps in generation support were found in Taiwan (75% vs. 33%), Mexico (81% vs. 52%) and Singapore (65% vs. 37%).
Women were also more likely to support same-sex marriage than men, according to Pew’s research. Australia, Poland, South Korea and South Africa showed the largest gaps in support for same-sex marriage between women and men.
As Pew’s studies illustrate, while much progress is shown in this research, there is still work to be done both close to home and abroad. LGBTQ+ support in many countries is still tepid, making it nearly impossible and dangerous for LGBTQ+ individuals to live openly without the fear of social rejection, prison or even death.