SWS SPECIAL REPORT: 6 FEBRUARY 2015

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SWS Special Report:

85% say gays and lesbians should
be protected against discrimination
Vladymir Joseph Licudine and Maria Leah Czarina Aldave
Social Weather Stations
Eighty-five percent of adult Filipinos believe that gays and lesbians have the right to be
protected against any form of discrimination, according to the Social Weather Survey of June 28-30,
2013.
To the statement, Just like me, gays and lesbians also have the right to be protected against
any form of discrimination [Tulad ko, ang mga bakla, lesbiyana o tomboy ay may karapatan ding
proteksyonan laban sa kahit na anong uri ng diskriminasyon], 85% agree, 5% disagree, and 10% are
undecided [Chart 1].
Out of the six specific statements about gays and lesbians tested in June and September 2013,
results showed favourable attitude on 5 issues, and unfavourable on one issue.
The strongest favourable attitude was (a) the importance of non-discrimination, followed by (b)
the belief that gays and lesbians are just as trustworthy as any other Filipino, (c) the big contribution of
gays and lesbians to societal progress, (d) the belief that being gay or lesbian is NOT a form of mental
illness, and (e) the belief that being gay or lesbian is NOT contagious.
The only statement where opinions are more on the unfavourable side was (f) the belief that
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, or AIDS, can be considered as a sickness of gays and
lesbians.
Gays and lesbians are trustworthy? 67% agree, 18% disagree
In the September 20-23, 2013 Social Weather Survey, 67% agree and 18% disagree that
Gays or lesbians are just as trustworthy as any other Filipino [Ang mga bakla, lesbiyana o tomboy
ay mapagkakatiwalaan tulad rin ng ibang Pilipino]. The remaining 14% are undecided about this
matter [Chart 2].

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Gays and lesbians have contributed a lot to societal progress? 54% agree, 24% disagree
The September 2013 survey found that 54% agree with the statement, Gays or lesbians have
contributed a lot in the progress of our society [Malaki ang naitulong ng mga bakla, lesbiyana o
tomboy sa ikinaunlad ng ating lipunan], slightly less than the 60% in June 2013 [Chart 3].
Compared to June 2013, the proportion of those who disagree rose from 16% to 24%, while
those who are undecided hardly moved from 23% to 21%.
Is being gay or lesbian a form of mental illness? 54% disagree, 25% agree
In June 2013, 54% disagree and 25% agree that Being gay or lesbian is a form of mental
illness [Ang pagiging bakla, lesbiyana o tomboy ay isang uri ng sakit sa pag-iisip]. Twenty percent
are undecided, and 1% did not give an answer [Chart 4].
Is being gay or lesbian contagious? 45% disagree, 38% agree
To the statement, Being gay or lesbian is contagious [Nakakahawa ang pagiging bakla,
lesbiyana o tomboy], the September 2013 survey found that a plurality 45% disagree and 38% agree.
Sixteen percent are undecided, and 1% did not give an answer [Chart 5].
Can AIDS be considered a sickness of gays or lesbians? 45% agree, 33% disagree
The September 2013 survey found that a plurality 45% agree and 33% disagree with the
statement, Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome or AIDS can be considered as a sickness of gays
and lesbians [Ang Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome o AIDS ay maituturing na sakit ng mga
bakla, lesbiyana o tomboy]. One out of five (21%) are undecided, and 1% did not give an answer
[Chart 6].
Survey Background
The Social Weather Surveys of Second and Third Quarters 2013 were conducted on June 2830, 2013 and September 20-23, 2013, respectively. Both surveys used face-to-face interviews of 1,200
adults nationwide, 300 each in Metro Manila, the Balance of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao (sampling
error margins of 3% for national percentages, and 6% for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas,
and Mindanao).
The area estimates were weighted by National Statistics Office medium-population projections
for 2013 to obtain the national estimates.
In both surveys, the introduction used for each test statement was, I have here some
statements which may reflect how people feel or think about gays or lesbians. Please tell me if you
agree or disagree with these statements. You may indicate your answers by placing the card with the
statement in the appropriate place in this rating board. (STRONGLY AGREE, SOMEWHAT AGREE,

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UNDECIDED IF AGREE OR NOT, SOMEWHAT DISAGREE, or STRONGLY DISAGREE)[Mayroon

ako ritong mga statements o pangungusap na maaaring maglarawan sa nararamdaman o naiisip ng
mga tao ngayon tungkol sa mga bakla, lesbiyana o tomboy. Pakisabi po kung kayo ay sumasang-ayon
o hindi sumasang-ayon sa mga statements o pangungusap na ito. Pakilagay lang po ang kard na may
pangungusap sa naaangkop na lugar sa rating board na ito. (LUBOS NA SUMASANG-AYON,
MEDYO SUMASANG-AYON, HINDI TIYAK KUNG SUMASANG-AYON O HINDI, MEDYO HINDI
SUMASANG-AYON, o LUBOS NA HINDI SUMASANG-AYON)]
The Social Weather Survey items on agreement-disagreement with specific positive and
negative statements about gays and lesbians were not commissioned, and were done on SWS's own
initiative.
The findings in this report were presented in the paper, Measuring Homophobia in the
Philippines, by Vladymir Joseph Licudine <vlad.licudine@sws.org.ph> and Ma. Leah Czarina
Aldave <leah.aldave@sws.org.ph> at the XVII World Congress of Sociology, held in Yokohama,
Japan, last July 13-19, 2014. Please contact the authors for inquiries on the paper presented.
SWS employs its own staff for questionnaire design, sampling, fieldwork, data-processing, and
analysis, and does not outsource any of its survey operations.

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Chart 1
AGREE-DISAGREE: JUST LIKE ME, GAYS OR LESBIANS ALSO
HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE PROTECTED AGAINST ANY FORM OF
DISCRIMINATION, TOTAL PH, JUN 2013
Test statement:
Tulad ko, ang mga bakla,
lesbiyana o tomboy ay may
karapatan ding proteksyonan
laban sa kahit na anong uri
ng diskriminasyon.

Disagree

Undecided

10

(LUBOS NA SUMASANGAYON, MEDYO SUMASANGAYON, HINDI TIYAK KUNG

SUMASANG-AYON O HINDI,
MEDYO HINDI SUMASANGAYON, o LUBOS NA HINDI
SUMASANG-AYON)

85

Agree

% of adults

Third Quarter 2013 Social Weather Report

September 20-23, 2013 National Survey

Chart 2
AGREE-DISAGREE: GAYS OR LESBIANS ARE JUST AS
TRUSTWORTHY AS ANY OTHER FILIPINO, TOTAL PH, SEP 2013

Test statement:
Ang mga bakla, lesbiyana o
tomboy ay
mapagkakatiwalaan tulad rin
ng ibang Pilipino.
(LUBOS NA SUMASANGAYON, MEDYO SUMASANGAYON, HINDI TIYAK KUNG
SUMASANG-AYON O HINDI,
MEDYO HINDI SUMASANGAYON, o LUBOS NA HINDI
SUMASANG-AYON)

Disagree
18%
Undecided

14%

67%
Agree

% of adults

Third Quarter 2013 Social Weather Report

September 20-23, 2013 National Survey

SWS SPECIAL REPORT: 6 FEBRUARY 2015

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Chart 3
AGREE-DISAGREE: GAYS OR LESBIANS HAVE
CONTRIBUTED A LOT IN THE PROGRESS OF OUR SOCIETY,
TOTAL PH, JUN AND SEP 2013
Test statement:
Malaki ang naitulong ng mga
bakla, lesbiyana o tomboy sa
ikinaunlad ng ating lipunan.
(LUBOS NA SUMASANGAYON, MEDYO SUMASANGAYON, HINDI TIYAK KUNG
SUMASANG-AYON O HINDI,
MEDYO HINDI SUMASANGAYON, o LUBOS NA HINDI
SUMASANG-AYON)

Undecided Disagree

Agree

60

Jun 13

Sep 13

23

54

21

16

24

% of adults

Dont Know and non-responses are not shown.

Third Quarter 2013 Social Weather Report

September 20-23, 2013 National Survey

Chart 4
AGREE-DISAGREE: BEING GAY OR LESBIAN IS A
FORM OF MENTAL ILLNESS, TOTAL PH, JUN 2013

Test statement:
Ang pagiging bakla,
lesbiyana o tomboy ay isang
uri ng sakit sa pag-iisip.
(LUBOS NA SUMASANGAYON, MEDYO SUMASANGAYON, HINDI TIYAK KUNG
SUMASANG-AYON O HINDI,
MEDYO HINDI SUMASANGAYON, o LUBOS NA HINDI
SUMASANG-AYON)

Dont Know/ Refused

Agree

25
Disagree

54
20
Undecided

% of adults

Third Quarter 2013 Social Weather Report

September 20-23, 2013 National Survey

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Chart 5
AGREE-DISAGREE: BEING GAY OR LESBIAN IS CONTAGIOUS,
TOTAL PH, SEP 2013

Test statement:
Nakakahawa ang pagiging
bakla, lesbiyana o tomboy.
(LUBOS NA SUMASANGAYON, MEDYO SUMASANGAYON, HINDI TIYAK KUNG
SUMASANG-AYON O HINDI,
MEDYO HINDI SUMASANGAYON, o LUBOS NA HINDI
SUMASANG-AYON)

Dont Know/ Refused

1
Agree

Disagree

38
45

16
Undecided
% of adults

Third Quarter 2013 Social Weather Report

September 20-23, 2013 National Survey

Chart 6
AGREE-DISAGREE: AIDS CAN BE CONSIDERED AS A SICKNESS
OF GAYS AND LESBIANS, TOTAL PH, SEP 2013

Test statement:
Ang Acquired Immuno
Deficiency Syndrome o AIDS ay
maituturing na sakit ng mga
bakla, lesbiyana o tomboy.
(LUBOS NA SUMASANG-AYON,
MEDYO SUMASANG-AYON,
HINDI TIYAK KUNG
SUMASANG-AYON O HINDI,
MEDYO HINDI SUMASANGAYON, o LUBOS NA HINDI
SUMASANG-AYON)

Dont Know/ Refused

1
Disagree

33

45

Agree

21
Undecided
% of adults

Third Quarter 2013 Social Weather Report

September 20-23, 2013 National Survey