A third of Singaporeans agree that same sex couples should be allowed to marry legally
A new survey by Ipsos shows that Singaporeans are becoming more supportive of same-sex relationships. The 2023 LGBT+ Pride survey found that 32% of Singaporeans now agree that same-sex couples should be allowed to marry legally, up from 27% in 2022. Additionally, 23% of respondents said that same-sex couples should be allowed to obtain some form of legal recognition, but not to marry, while 27% said that they should not be allowed to marry or obtain any kind of legal recognition. The remaining 19% were unsure.
Women in Singapore are more likely than men to support same-sex marriage, with 35% of women in favour compared to 28% of men. In 2022, both 27% of women and men were supportive of same-sex marriage. The younger adults are also more supportive of same-sex marriage, with about 40% of Gen Zs (now age 26 or younger) and Millennials (now aged between 27 and 42) in favour compared to 25% of Gen Xs (now between 43 and 58).
Views on same-sex parenting are significantly warmer than those on same-sex marriage, with 57% of Singaporeans agreeing that same-sex couples should have the same rights to adopt children as heterosexual couples do. This is an 8% increase from 2022.
This echoes the sentiment of 59% of Singaporeans who agree that same-sex couples are just as likely as other parents to raise children successfully. This is an 8% increase from 2022. Again, women (65%) were more likely than men (53%) to agree with this statement, as were younger adults (69% of Gen Zs vs 56% of Gen Xs).
Melanie Ng, Director of Public Affairs at Ipsos in Singapore said, “Public opinion on same-sex rights is shifting in Singapore, with greater support seen from women and younger adults. Gender roles in the household have become more fluid in recent years, as people are no longer expected to conform to traditional gender stereotypes when it comes to domestic tasks and childcare. As societal norms change, younger adults are becoming more accepting of same-sex couples as parents, believing that they are just as capable of raising children as any other couple. The increased visibility of LGBT+ people has led to greater awareness and acceptance of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities, and women are more likely than men to reflect this shift in attitudes. Additionally, consistent with more young adults who identify as LGBT+, the likelihood of having personal relationships with LGBT+ people is also higher among younger adults than older adults.”
