Rejecting Equality: Psychological Differences Between Australian Gay Men Voting “Yes”, Voting “No”, or Abstaining from Voting on the Legalisation of Same-Sex Marriage
Dellers, L. (Griffith University), Thai, M. (Griffith University)
In 2017, Australians voted on the legalisation of same-sex marriage. Whereas most gay men voted in support of same-sex marriage (“Yes”), some abstained from voting, and a small minority voted against same-sex marriage (“No”). The present study examined the psychological differences between these three groups of voters in a sample of non-heterosexual men in Australia (N = 1050). Participants completed a survey assessing their vote in the Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey along with their political orientation, religiosity, disclosure of sexual orientation, gay identification, internalised homonegativity, and perceived discrimination. Results indicated that, relative to “No” voters and those who abstained from voting, “Yes” voters were more left-wing, less religious, and more “out” (in terms of sexual orientation disclosure), higher in gay identification, and lower in internalised homonegativity. They also perceived greater discrimination. Implications of these results are discussed.
Event Timeslots (1)
-GALLERIES 2-
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Gender and Sexual (Non-)Equalities Symposium