Singapore LGBT surveys

It is not known how many LGBT people there are in Singapore. The Census of Population, which is done once every ten years, does not keep track of this demographic. This is not surprising since even a country where LGBT rights are much more advanced like the United States does not include this category in its published statistics.

In recent decades, the concern of the Singapore government has been to arrest the declining the birth rate, to maintain the proportional racial composition of the country and to increase the material well-being of its citizens. As such, the population census statistics have focused mainly on race, marriage, offspring and educational qualification, amongst more conventional demographic indices.

This situation is obviously detrimental to the rights of LGBT Singaporeans as it renders them "invisible" in population planning geared towards meeting citizens' needs. It also implies that they are not officially recognised as a valid minority the way minority races and adherents of religions are.

It is unfortunate that most of the government surveys done on the LGBT community have been in relation to HIV infection as the battle against the HIV epidemic remains the government's top priority vis-a-vis the community's other needs.

The LGBT community has tried to redress the situation by conducting its own surveys dealing with the public's attitudes towards LGBT people, especially gay men, and other pertinent issues such as bullying, violence and support services.

=History=

PLU's survey 2000
In the year 2000, Singapore's pioneering LGBT advocacy group, People Like Us, organised a survey of the public’s attitudes towards homosexuality. Led by Dinesh Naidu and with very limited resources, it could not be a rigorously scientific one but would still give a good flavour of mainstream attitudes.

More importantly, unlike the few other surveys done, PLU’s study avoided judgemental questions such as whether one “approved” or "did not approve" of homosexuality, or emotionally-laden ones, such as whether one would be “disappointed” or “shocked”. PLU’s survey asked people to reflect for a moment and say how they might relate to family members or colleagues who were gay, and how they felt broader principles of equality should apply to the gay question. The results of this survey were published in the Facts and Figures section of the PLU website (and )

It was also notable that a number of straight friends helped out with the survey, standing at street corners handing out questionnaires, putting themselves at risk of other people assuming they were gay too.

PLU reckoned that since the trend, in Singapore and worldwide, was for gay persons to come out of the closet, so increasingly, Singaporeans would get to know gay friends and family members in their midst. Findings of the landmark survey indicated that attitudes in the general population were likely then to shift to being more "liberal" towards gay people as a result.

NTU's public opinion poll, 2005

 * See also: Archive of NTU study "Homosexuality in Singapore: Perceptions, Public Opinion, and the Media" (24 January 2011)

Researchers from Nanyang Technological University's (NTU) Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, Benjamin H. Detenber, Mark Cenite, Moses K. Y. Ku, Carol P. L. Ong, Hazel Y. Tong and Magdalene L. H. Yeow conducted in public opinion poll in 2005 to gauge Singaporeans’ attitudes toward lesbians and gay men and their tolerance of media portrayals of homosexuality.

The main points of the survey were summarised in a slide presentation during a lecture by principal investigator Prof Benjamin Detenber on 24 January 2011:

Methodology

 * Computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) survey with 1004 Singapore citizens and permanent residents aged 18 and above
 * Probability sample using random-digit dialing (RDD)
 * Interviews conducted in English, Mandarin and Malay
 * Response rate: 61.6%
 * Used well-established measures like intrinsic and extrinsic religiosity (Gorsuch & Venable, 1983) and the short form of the Attitudes Towards Lesbians and Gay Men Scale (ATLG; Herek & Capitanio,1995)

Findings

 * First nationally representative survey on homosexuality in Singapore
 * Dependent variables: Attitudes Towards Lesbians and Gay Men (ATLG) and Tolerance of Media Portrayals
 * Attitudes were generally negative and tolerance for portrayals low
 * negative attitudes 68.6%, positive attitudes 22.9%, neutral 8.5%
 * Control variables (age, income, education, gender and marital status)

Attitudes Toward Lesbians and Gay Men scale (ATLG) (N = 842)

Tolerance (N = 842)

Conformity to norms

-.07*

-.11**

Intrinsic religiosity

-.26**

-.32**

Extrinsic religiosity

-.04

-.05

Note.*p < .05, **p < .01

R2 = .16*

R2 = .19*

Significant predictors of ATLG & Tolerance

 * Christians & Muslims had significantly more negative attitudes and less tolerance than Buddhists and Freethinkers

Conclusion

 * Most people not favorable to homosexuality and its portrayal
 * These views prompted by conservatism and religion
 * Not much change from five years before

Implications

 * Research article published in 2007 amid debate over revision of penal code
 * Findings cited by both sides during the 377A debate
 * Further research needed

Publication in International Journal of Public Opinion Research, 2007
The public opinion poll was written up as an academic research paper entitled, "Singaporeans’ Attitudes toward Lesbians and Gay Men and their Tolerance of Media Portrayals of Homosexuality" and published in the International Journal of Public Opinion Research, Volume 19, Issue 3, Autumn 2007, pages 367–379.

Abstract
While research on attitudes toward lesbians and gay men and portrayals of them in the media is fairly common in Western countries (e.g. Levina, Waldo & Fitzgerald, 2000; Mazur & Emmers-Sommer, 2002; Riggle, Ellis & Crawford, 1996), little empirical work on these topics has been done in Asia. In recent years homosexuality has become a matter of public discourse and media attention in many Asian countries (Liebhold, 2000). For example, in Singapore there has been public discussion of the ramifications of homosexuals holding positions in the civil service and the merits of pursuing of ‘pink dollars’ (i.e. money spent by gay men and lesbians) in the tourism industry. There has also been interest in revising the censorship guidelines to reflect societal changes in an increasingly globalized media environment (Censorship Review Committee, 2003). Given these developments there is a need to understand the attitudes of Asians toward lesbians and gay men and their tolerance of homosexual-themed media content.

To date, there has not been a nationally representative study conducted in Singapore on attitudes toward homosexuality and tolerance of homosexual content in films. The few studies that have been conducted on the topic lacked depth, objectivity and representativeness (e.g. Lim, 2003; Ministry of Community, Development and Sports, 2001a, 2001b; People Like Us, 2000) and are thus inadequate to inform debate and guide policy recommendations. Therefore, the aim of this study was to document current public opinion in Singapore and to contribute to scholarship on homosexuality in Asia by investigating some of the predictors of attitudes toward lesbians and gay men. In addition to demographic factors, we examined the relationship between attitudes and tolerance and Asian values and religiosity. Asian values have never been examined in the context of attitudes toward homosexuality, and the link between religiosity and attitudes toward gay men and lesbians has been explored only in predominantly Judeo-Christian populations (e.g. Fulton, Gorsuch, & Maynard, 1999; Kirkpatrick, 1993). Thus Singapore, with its diversity of religions and Asian ethnicities, offers a rich and fresh context to study attitudes toward gay men and lesbians.

A review of the literature reveals that people generally hold negative attitudes toward lesbians and gay men (Abraham & Abraham, 1998; Herek & Glunt, 1993; Lieblich & Friedman, 1985; Steffens & Wagner, 2004). These negative attitudes manifest themselves in various ways, from lack of helping behavior (Tsang, 1994) to verbal harassment and outright physical violence (D’Augelli & Rose, 1990). Although negative attitudes toward lesbians and gay men are commonly attributed to the fact that homosexuality runs contrary to the norm of heterosexuality (Eskridge, 1992), researchers have identified a number of predictors of such views, namely authoritarianism, social dominance orientation, traditional gender role attitudes, religiosity, belief of controllability of homosexuality and the extent of contact with homosexuals (Hart, Calvert, & Bainbridge, 1998; Lance, 1987; Newman, 1989; Whitley, 1999; Whitley & Lee, 2000).

The few academic studies that have been done on homosexuality in Asia (e.g. Abraham & Abraham, 1998; Widmer, Treas, & Newcomb, 1998; Wong & Tang, 2004) suggest that people in Asian countries also tend to hold negative attitudes toward lesbians and gay men. However, certain aspects of their research design (e.g. using a single-item attitude measure or non-probability samples) limit the inferences and generalizations that can be made from them. To have a more thorough and robust understanding of public opinion of homosexuality and its portrayal in films, it is necessary to use well established and empirically tested attitude scales and other reliable measures (Herek, 1994; Larsen, Reed, & Hoffman, 1980), as well as probability sampling at the national level. With this as our motivation, the research reported here represents the first systematic and scientific inquiry of its kind conducted in Singapore.

In addition to finding out about attitudes toward lesbians and gay men, we wanted to investigate Singaporean's views of portrayals of homosexuality in films. Film is one of Singapore's most popular and important art forms (Media Development Authority, 2004a; Uhde & Uhde, 2000). However, it is highly regulated and up until recently visual representation of homosexual acts and materials that portray homosexuality as a legitimate and acceptable lifestyle have been banned (Leong, 1997). According to the Censorship Review Committee (CRC), portrayals of homosexuality are allowed in films only if they are deemed ‘nonexploitative’ and nonpromotional; films with overt homosexual themes are allowed only at the Singapore International Film Festival, not for commercial release (Censorship Review Committee, 2003). However, the CRC report (2003) also promised to approach homosexual content with greater flexibility and consideration of context. In line with this promise Singapore recently adopted a revised film classification scheme, developed in part to give viewers more freedom and choices (Media Development Authority, 2004b). As a result, films like Brokeback Mountain can now be screened uncut since they are restricted to adult audiences (i.e. rated R21).

Research indicates that attitudes toward lesbians and gay men are related to religious orientation and degree of religiosity among those with Judeo-Christian beliefs (Altemeyer & Hunsberger, 1992; Batson, Eidelman, Higley, & Russell, 2001). That is, people who are more religious tend to show more prejudice toward outgroups such as homosexuals and racial minorities (Ammerman, 1991; Altemeyer, 1996; Batson & Burris, 1994). One conceptualization identifies two different types of religiosity, intrinsic and extrinsic (Allport & Ross, 1967), and this distinction reveals a more complex relationship between religiosity and prejudice. People with an extrinsic religious orientation see religion as self-serving and as a way to conform to social conventions, while people with an intrinsic religious orientation see religion as the primary driving force in life (Herek, 1987). Scholars have consistently found that people with an intrinsic religious orientation tend to show less racial prejudice than people with an extrinsic religious orientation (Batson & Burris, 1994; Herek, 1987). Intrinsically motivated people use religious teachings to guide them in daily interactions with others, showing love and respect for other human beings, and are less likely to reject or show contempt toward others. Extrinsically motivated people, on the other hand, use religion to find social support and acceptance, and since prejudice often provides similar returns, extrinsically motivated people are more likely to be prejudiced (Allport & Ross, 1967; Herek, 1987).

However, when investigating attitudes toward lesbians and gay men, intrinsic religiosity has been found to be associated with more negative attitudes toward lesbians and gay men than extrinsic religiosity (Herek, 1987; Kirkpatrick, 1993). A possible explanation for the apparent inconsistency between attitudes toward racial groups and lesbians and gay men is that people who demonstrate an intrinsic approach to religion are more willing to admit having antigay attitudes because, in comparison to prejudice toward racial minorities, such attitudes are seen to coincide more closely with their Judeo-Christian teachings (Batson, Schoenrade, & Ventis, 1993).

Although the relationship between religiosity and tolerance of media portrayals of homosexuals has rarely been investigated, we expect it to follow a similar pattern as attitudes towards gays and lesbians (i.e., greater religiosity associated with less tolerance). A study by Anderson, Fakhfakh and Kondylis (1999) offers indirect support of this conjecture. In their survey they found that people who are more religious are more likely to report that the media portray gays and lesbians too positively, and glorify and promote homosexuality. Unfortunately, Anderson et al. (1999) used a single-item measure of religiosity, so any difference in the impact of intrinsic and extrinsic religiosity on tolerance of media portrayals of homosexuality has yet to be explored.

While there has been a lack of empirical studies delineating the relationship between the major world religions (other than Christianity) and attitudes toward lesbians and gay men, scholars and religious leaders have actively engaged in discussions of the topic (e.g. Swidler, 1993; Zwilling, 1992). Without getting into too much detail, it is safe to say that different religions regard homosexuality differently. For instance, in Christianity, the Bible states that homosexual acts are wrong (Fulton et al., 1999). In Islam, some followers claim that the Qur’an states that homosexuality is ‘unnatural’ while others insist that the Qur’an is ambiguous on the position on homosexuality (Helie, 2004). Buddhism appears to have no clear position or even salient mention of homosexuality (Cabezon, 1993). Therefore, our study aims to find out whether the major religious groups in Singapore differ in terms of their attitudes toward lesbians and gay men and their tolerance of media portrayals of homosexuality.

Deeply held beliefs that cut across religions may also be related to attitudes and tolerance of homosexuality. For example, the notion of conformity to norms has been identified as part of the larger construct of Asian Values (Hill, 2000) and seems relevant to this investigation. Although the precise nature of the construct remains somewhat problematic as scholars have not reached a consensus on its definition, validity or relevance, Asian Values are believed to include social harmony, deference to authority, and the importance of family (Anwar, 1996; Freeman, 1996; Lawson, 1996). In their effort to measure the construct, Kim, Atkinson and Yang (1999) found that the conformity to norms factor accounted for the greatest variance of their Asian Values Scale and also had the highest reliability. Since lesbians and gay men are commonly regarded as violators of Asian social norms (Matteson, 1997), conformity to norms is a potential predictor of Singaporeans’ attitudes toward lesbians and gay men.

Demographic variables are among the most commonly investigated predictors of people's attitudes toward lesbians and gay men. Many studies conducted on samples of Western populations have found that attitudes toward lesbians and gay men are associated with gender, age, education and marital status (Hayes, 1995; Herdt, 2001; Jensen, Gambles, & Olsen, 1988). This study examines the same factors, but in an Asian context.

Summary
In summary, this study constitutes the first nationally representative survey of Singaporeans’ attitudes toward lesbians and gay men. The findings indicate that intrinsic religiosity, conformity to norms, and marital status predict attitudes toward this minority group. In addition to these three predictors, age and education level also predict one's tolerance of media portrayals of homosexuality. For both criteria, intrinsic religiosity was the strongest predictor, suggesting that psychological factors may be more critical in influencing Singaporean's views of homosexuality than demographic factors.

NTU's public opinion poll, 2010

 * See also: Archive of NTU study "Homosexuality in Singapore: Perceptions, Public Opinion, and the Media" (24 January 2011)

In 2010, researchers from Nanyang Technological University's (NTU) Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, Benjamin H. Detenber, Shirley S. Ho, Rachel L. Neo, Shelley Malik, Mark Cenite, conducted a follow-up public opinion poll on Singaporeans’ attitudes toward homosexuals.

The main points of the survey were summarised in a slide presentation during a lecture by principal investigator Prof Benjamin Detenber on 24 January 2011:


 * New survey done to track changes in public opinion since 2005 and expand theoretical framework
 * ATLG versus acceptance

Predictors tested in 2005

 * Conformity to norms
 * Intrinsic and extrinsic religiosity
 * Religion

Additional predictors introduced in the 2010 study

 * Asian & Western orientation
 * Homosexuality as a choice
 * Interpersonal contact
 * Mediated exposure

Study also gauged public support for censorship of films with homosexual themes

Examined the following as predictors of support for censorship

 * Conformity to norms
 * Intrinsic and extrinsic religiosity
 * Asian & Western orientation
 * Interpersonal contact
 * Media consumption
 * Third person effect variables i.e., perceived effects on self, others, self-other perceptual gap

Methodology
Negative attitudes65%Neutral10%Positive attitudes25%Attitudes toward gay men and lesbians (N = 918)
 * CATI survey with 959 Singapore citizens and permanent residents aged 18 and above
 * Probability sampling (RDD) and survey conducted in 3 languages
 * Response rate: 36.6%
 * Established survey measures used, as well as new measures

Acceptable45%Neutral15%Unacceptable40%Acceptance of homosexuals

ATLG (N = 764) Acceptance (N = 764) Conformity to norms -.15*** -.14*** Intrinsic religiosity -.33*** -.17*** Extrinsic religiosity .04 -.05 Asian Orientation -.02 -.05 Western Orientation .10** .15*** Choice -.10*** -.02 Interpersonal contact .12*** .22*** Media consumption .08* .09** Note.*p < .05, **p < .01, ***p< .001 R2 = .31*** R2 = .30***Strongest predictor of ATLG Strongest predictor of acceptance ATLG Acceptance M SD M SD N Religion Christian 2.50ab .75 3.03ac .83 200 Buddhist 2.62a .58 2.87a .72 251 Muslim 2.29b .79 2.53b .87 111 Freethinker 2.81c .67 3.16c .78 222 Note: Values with different subscripts within columns indicate a difference that is significant at p< .05. -Muslims had the most negative attitudes towards gay men and lesbians -Freethinkers were the most accepting of gay men and lesbians Significant interaction between mediated exposure and interpersonal contact
 * Small but significant shift in ATLG from 2005 (M= 2.59, SD= .68) to 2010 (M= 2.65, SD= .73)
 * However, after controlling for other factors (e.g., demographics, religiosity) the change was non-significant
 * Religion, attitudes and acceptance
 * Association between mediated exposure, interpersonal contact and attitudes

Summary and interpretation of ATLG findings
–Slight change in ATLG from 2005 to 2010 contingent on demographic factors –Intrinsic religiosity a much better predictor of ATLG and acceptance than extrinsic religiosity –Western orientation as significant predictor of ATLG and acceptance Homosexuality may be regarded as a “Western import” in Singapore –Differences in ATLG scores and levels of acceptance amongst the religious groups suggests loose linkage

Should be stricter54%Just about right25%Should be less strict21%Support for censorship

Support for Censorship Self & Others (N = 764) Self-Others(N = 764) Conformity to norms .14*** .15*** Intrinsic religiosity .21*** .25*** Extrinsic religiosity -.04 -.02 Asian orientation .10** .11** Western orientation -.06 -.06 Interpersonal contact -.04 -.05 Media exposure -.13*** -.14*** Perceived effects on self -.20*** -- Perceived effects on others -.04 -- Perceptual gap -- -.06 Note.*p < .05, **p < .01, ***p< .001 R2 = .29*** R2 = .25*** Positively associated with support for censorship Negatively associated with support for censorship Behavioral component of third person effect unrelated

Summary and interpretation of censorship findings

 * Intrinsic but not extrinsic religiosity predicts support for censorship
 * People with higher levels of Asian orientation may be more conservative & prefer to preserve the societal status quo
 * Media exposure, parasocial interaction with gay and lesbian characters, as well as attitudes toward these minority groups “are mutually reinforcing”
 * Perceived effects on self better predictor of censorship support than perceived effects on others or the perceptual gap


 * People seem to be more concerned about their own self-interests than the moral well-being of others
 * Perhaps homosexuality is not as noxious as pornography or media violence
 * Degree of collectivism may reduce impact of third person perception

Publication in Asian Journal of Social Psychology, 2012
Again, the researchers wrote up the findings of the public opinion poll as an academic research paper entitled, "Influence of value predispositions, interpersonal contact, and mediated exposure on public attitudes toward homosexuals in Singapore" and published it in the Asian Journal of Social Psychology, 16(3), pages 181-196 on 27 December 2012.

Abstract
This national survey tracks changes in Singaporeans‘ attitudes toward lesbians and gay men (ATLG) and examines value predispositions, interpersonal contact, and mediated exposure as predictors of ATLG and acceptance of homosexuals. The study replicates and extends research done previously and addresses temporal shifts in values and views. Findings indicate that the relatively small positive change in ATLG from 2005 to 2010 was mainly due to values and demographic factors. The addition of several new predictive variables increased the variance explained for why people hold certain ATLG and their acceptance. Conformity to norms, intrinsic religiosity, Western orientation, interpersonal contact, and mediated exposure were significantly associated with both ATLG and acceptance of homosexuals. Perception of homosexuality as a choice was significantly associated with ATLG but not with acceptance of homosexuals. Asian orientation and extrinsic religiosity showed no significant association with either dependent variable. The findings are discussed in the context of a multi-cultural Asian society and future directions for research.

Summary
In sum, the findings from this study show that a wide range of demographic and psychographic variables can influence ATLG and acceptance of homosexuals. With the addition of new variables in this study, the amount of variance explained was double the variance explained in Detenber et al.'s study (2007). Hence, by using more sophisticated regression models, this study provides a more holistic explanation of the factors which shape ATLG and acceptance of homosexuals. It is possible that this study can inform policy debate with its finding that Singaporeans are still very conservative on this issue and generally hold negative attitudes toward gay men and lesbians. Although there has been only a very modest positive shift in ATLG from 2005 to 2010, it is important to keep tracking changes in attitudes toward gay men and lesbians as public debate on issues pertaining to homosexuality continues to increase in Singapore. Given that Singapore has become more Westernized (Wilson, 2000) and that media content with homosexual themes is increasingly available on the Internet (Lim, 2004) and in local cinemas (Ong, 2006), it seems possible that there will be a more significant shift in attitudes toward gay men and lesbians over time.

Media reports
A study by the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) published in the Asian Journal of Social Psychology in December 2012 showed that positive attitudes toward homosexuals were becoming more common in Singapore as more gay people came out,. A nationally representative survey found that in 2005, 68.6% of adults had negative attitudes toward gay people, while 22.9% had positive views and 8.5% were neutral. By 2010, fewer adults in Singapore had negative attitudes toward homosexuals (64.5%), while more expressed positive attitudes (25.3%) or were neutral (10.2%).

Researchers found that older people and those with lower levels of education and income tended to be less accepting of gay people. Meanwhile, those with a more Western cultural orientation and those who did not greatly value conforming to social norms tended to be more accepting of homosexuals. Singaporean citizens and residents with gay or lesbian family members, friends, or coworkers were also less likely to have negative attitudes about homosexuals, and those who watched more films and television shows with gay characters were more likely to express positive attitudes toward gay people.

"As more Singaporeans come into contact with gay people and with the rising availability of films and television programmes with gay characters via cable television, local cinemas and the Internet, it seems possible that there will be a more significant shift in attitudes towards gays and lesbians over time," researcher Shirley Ho. Various ideas had been put forth to explain prejudice against gay people, with one line of research finding that children with low intelligence were more likely to hold prejudiced attitudes as adults. That link between low IQ and prejudice, including low acceptance of homosexuals, may be explained by the fact that low-intelligence adults tended to gravitate toward socially conservative ideologies, which stressed hierarchy and resistance to change — attitudes that could contribute to prejudice.

National LGBT Census 2013
The National LGBT Census 2013 was a collaborative effort between Pink Dot Sg, Sayoni, and Oogachaga - three LGBTQ-affirmative non-profit volunteer groups in Singapore. With a common goal to understanding the everyday experiences of LGBTQ people in Singapore, the census covered a range of issues, from health, housing, education, employment, friendships, family life and needs, to thoughts on citizenship. Anyone from or currently residing in Singapore, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity was welcome to participate. Responses were treated as voluntary and anonymous. No attempt was be made to identify individuals.

The questionnaire contained 54 questions and took about 30 minutes of participants' time. There were no correct or wrong answers, but respondents are urged to answer all questions honestly. Its objective was to understand the current health, housing, family, employment and schooling conditions and needs of the LGBT community. Its purpose was to inform civil society groups, public and private organisations, as well as the public at large. Apart from being a useful resource for local LGBT-affirmative NGOs to plan for the community, the findings will generate greater awareness to improve the day-to-day experiences of LGBT people amongst both public and private institutions in Singapore.

Website: http://sogiresearch.blogspot.com/

The researchers could be contacted at: http://sogiresearch.blogspot.com/p/contact-us.html

Ipsos survey, 2018
On 10 September 2018, The Straits Times published the results of an online survey by Ipsos Public Affairs, an independent market research company, conducted over a period of four days from end-July to early August 2018 to understand the current social attitudes towards same-sex relationships,. It showed that slightly more than half (55%) of the people in Singapore still supported Section 377A while 12% said they opposed it. 33% of the residents here were more accepting of same-sex relationships than he or she was five years before, while 35% were not.

A total of 750 Singaporean citizens and permanent residents aged 15 to 65 took part in the study. Sentiment varied according to gender, with males more likely to strongly support the law than females. Singapore residents aged 15 to 24 were more likely to oppose the law, while residents aged 55 to 65 were more likely to support it. People here were also asked the extent to which they agreed or disagreed with the statement "I believe that Singaporeans should be able to participate in same-sex relationships". 28% agreed with the statement, while 38% did not.

Ipsos said the findings indicated that attitudes towards the issue of same-sex relationships had changed and were likely to continue to change, albeit at a slow pace. This change was attributed to perceptions of shifts in Singapore's social norms with respect to same-sex relationships, increased conversations on social media and more direct exposure to same-sex relationships. Ipsos associate research director Robert McPhedran said: "This research indicates that the normative values of Singaporeans with respect to LGBTQ issues are gradually shifting. As has occurred in other countries globally, increased dialogue regarding same-sex relationships has contributed to higher acceptance among Singaporeans. This is particularly the case for the younger generation. Nonetheless, as PM Lee has previously noted, a social consensus remains far from being reached."

An online poll conducted by Yahoo! News on the same day showed that roughly half supported repealing Section 377A while the other half were in favour of keeping it,.

A 2014 survey of more than 4,000 Singapore residents conducted by the Institute of Policy Studies similarly found that people here were largely conservative. In the study, 78.2% of respondents said that same-sex relationships were wrong, while 72.9% were not in favour of gay marriage.

Blackbox Research survey, 2018
Market research consultancy Blackbox Research conducted a poll commissioned by Yahoo! News Singapore from 12 to 19 October 2018 regarding attitudes towards anti-gay laws using a sample size of 1000 Singaporeans and permanent residents.

One of the questions posed in the survey was: “'''Repealing Section 377A would lead to the breakdown of the family unit in Singapore. Do you agree?'''” 36% strongly agreed or agreed with the statement while some 28% strongly disagreed or disagreed with it. The remaining 36% of respondents were neutral on the issue. By age group, fewer respondents aged 15-24 years old agreed with the statement, compared with those from the older age groups. Only 25% from the age group strongly agreed or agreed with the statement, followed by 35% who were neutral and 40% who strongly disagreed or disagreed with it. Among those aged 50 years and above, 41% agreed that the removal of the law would be detrimental to the Singapore family unit. About 33% of the respondents in the age group were neutral on the statement and 26% strongly disagreed or disagreed with it.

Over three in 10 Singapore residents agreed that the absence of a law criminalising sex between women was harmful to society. Of the other respondents, about 26% strongly disagreed or disagreed with the statement, while 41% were neutral. Among the respondents by gender, more males strongly agreed or agreed with the statement at 35%, compared with 32% of females. The proportions of males and females who were neutral on the statement were 40 and 41%, respectively. The proportions of males and females who strong disagreed or disagreed with the statement were 25 and 27%, respectively. The proportions of respondents who strongly agreed or agreed with the statement were somewhat consistent across all age groups: 31% (15-24 years old), 35% (25-34 years old), 31% (35-49 years old) and 35% (50 years old and above). Among those who strongly disagreed or disagreed with the statement, the proportions were 34% (15-24 years old), 27% (25-34 years old), 24% (35-49 years old) and 25% (50 years old and above). The proportions who were neutral were 34% (15-24 years old), 38% (25-34 years old), 45% (35-49 years old) and 41% (50 years old and above).

More than half of Singapore residents strongly agreed or agreed that religious views and opinions should not influence Singapore’s laws. Of the other respondents, about 20% strongly disagreed or disagreed with the statement, while 29% were neutral. By age group, the biggest proportion of respondents who strongly agreed or agreed with the statement was 54% among those who were 50 years old and above, followed by 52% (15-24 years old), 49% (25-34 years old) and 47% (35-49 years old). Among those who strongly disagreed or disagreed with the statement, the proportions were 25% (15-24 years old), 20% (25-34 years old), 17% (35-49 years old) and 21% (50 years old and above). The proportions who were neutral were 23% (15-24 years old), 31% (25-34 years old), 36% (35-49 years old) and 25% (50 years old and above). By gender, more males strongly agreed or agreed with the statement at 52%, compared with 49% of females. The proportions of males and females who were neutral on the statement were 28 and 31%, respectively. The proportions of males and females who strong disagreed or disagreed with the statement were the same at 20%.

Another question posed was: “'''Singapore should keep Section 377A even if it is not enforced. Do you agree?'''” Of the 1,000 respondents, 42% strongly agreed or agreed with the statement, with 19% strongly disagreeing or disagreeing. The remaining 40% expressed a neutral stance on the issue. The results were largely consistent across male and female respondents. The proportions of male and female respondents who strongly agreed or agreed with the statement were 41% and 42%, respectively. The proportions of males and females who strongly disagreed or disagreed with the statement were 21 and 17%, respectively, while the remaining 38% of males and 41% of females were neutral on the issue. By age group, fewer respondents aged 15-24 years old strongly agreed or agreed with the statement, compared with those from the older age groups. Only 28% from the age group strongly agreed or agreed with the statement, compared with 41% (25-34 years old), 38% (35-49 years old) and 48% (50 years old and above). Among those who strongly disagreed or disagreed with the statement, the proportions were 27% (15-24 years old), 22% (25-34 years old), 19% (35-49 years old) and 15% (50 years old and above). The proportions who were neutral were 45% (15-24 years old), 38% (25-34 years old), 43% (35-49 years old) and 37% (50 years old and above).

YouGov poll, 2019
Research published by YouGov in January 2019 showed that one in three (34%) Singaporeans supported same-sex civil partnerships while four in ten (43%) opposed it, with stances on the issue differing amongst age groups, education level and religious position,. The remaining 23% preferred not to say. The results were based on 1,033 Singaporeans surveyed on YouGov Omnibus.

A same-sex civil partnership was defined as a legally recognised arrangement similar to marriage, created primarily as a means to provide recognition in law for same-sex couples. Civil unions grant most or all of the rights of marriage except the title itself.

 Younger Singaporeans (those aged 18 to 34) were more likely to support same-sex civil partnerships than older Singaporeans (those aged 55 and over). Half (48%) of younger Singaporeans supported same-sex civil partnerships as opposed to a quarter (22%) of older Singaporeans. Similarly, four in ten (41%) university degree holders agree with changing the law, compared to 26% of those without a degree.

Other factors also shaped support or opposition to the measure. Out of the 6% of Singaporeans that identify as LGBT, seven in ten (69%) supported same-sex civil partnerships. Additionally, two in five (42%) Singaporeans knew someone in a same-sex relationship, and one in six (16%) knew someone in a same-sex civil partnership. Those who knew someone in either were far more likely to support same-sex civil partnerships (51%).

Among those who considered themselves “very much” religious, less than one in five (17%) supported legalising same-sex civil partnerships. By contrast, half (51%) of those who considered themselves “not at all” religious backed the measure.

Jake Gammon, Head of YouGov Omnibus in APAC commented: “While there is talk of Thailand potentially preparing to recognise same-sex civil partnerships, this data shows that Singaporeans are clearly split on this issue. Our research finds that divisions come along education and age lines. Younger, more educated people are more likely to favour recognising and legalising same sex civil partnerships and those who are older and less educated being more likely to be opposed.”

NUS MSM study, 2019
In a report published on 9 May 2019, researchers from the National University of Singapore's (NUS) Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health estimated that 210,000 men in Singapore had sex with other men (MSM) and that they could face a concentrated epidemic of HIV infection,. The figure was more than double an earlier less rigorous estimate of 90,000 men. It marked the first time researchers had estimated the number of people in groups in Singapore who were at risk of HIV infection. The report provided the first empirical estimates of these communities and was funded by the Health Promotion Board and the Singapore Population Health Improvement Centre.

Prior to this, Singapore did not have a systematic approach to collecting data on the size of these key populations at risk of HIV infection. Not knowing these numbers was an obstacle to treating and stamping out HIV, which the report sought to overcome. The researchers - Alvin Teo, Dr Kiesha Prem, Dr Mark Chen, Dr Adrian Roellin, Associate Professor Wong Mee Lian, Dr Hanh Hao La and Dr Alex Cook - said that the study would aid the effective planning of HIV care, treatment and support. A representative sample of 199 people in Singapore was surveyed from July to August 2017, when they were asked how many people they knew belonging to the hidden population groups. The network scale-up method was then used to arrive at the numbers, where the population sizes of the at-risk groups were estimated from the respondents’ personal network size. The researchers pointed out the significance of the study method, having been done previously in various countries such as Ghana, Iran and Japan to estimate the size of hard-to-reach populations at risk of HIV.

A Health Promotion Board spokesperson said that the findings “should be interpreted with caution” due to limitations of the study such as its sample size, but acknowledged that the estimates “can be useful as one of the inputs for HIV prevention programme, planning, monitoring and evaluation”. Keeping in mind Singapore’s context, the researchers had factored in transmission error and the barrier effect using social acceptance measures and demographics, to derive the estimates — extending previous work that “did not adequately accommodate such information”, they said. Transmission error is where there is the possibility that members of the hidden population groups might not divulge membership to some of their contacts. Additionally, not all respondents had an equal chance of interacting with members of the hidden populations, giving rise to what is termed the barrier effect. Criminalisation of gay sex in Singapore may give rise to transmission error, the researchers said. Section 377A in the penal code “amplifies discrimination against homosexual males, and therefore membership to this group may not always be known to their social contacts, resulting in transmission error,” they said.

Blackbox Research survey, 2019
A Blackbox Research online survey commissioned by Yahoo! News Singapore which was conducted between 13 and 26 June 2019 revealed that more than half of Singaporeans would react negatively if they were to find out that a close family member was LGBTQ. The 887 Singaporean respondents were replying to questions and statements with LGBTQ themes ranging from Pink Dot SG to legal developments overseas on gay marriage and homosexuality. On the statement that if a family member were to reveal to them that he or she was LGBTQ, 53% of the respondents reacted negatively, with 14% expressing “strongly negative” and 39% having “somewhat negative” reactions. The remaining 47% of the respondents were positive about the statement, comprising 13% with “strongly positive” and 34% with “somewhat positive” reactions.

The proportion of respondents who would react negatively if they were to discover that a colleague was LGBTQ was comparatively lower. When asked about the statement that if a colleague were to reveal to them that he or she was LGBTQ, 46% had a negative reaction while 53% had a positive reaction.

The survey also asked respondents for their reactions to the statement on the recent marriage of Li Huanwu, the grandson of Singapore’s first prime minister Lee Kuan Yew, to his male partner Heng Yirui in South Africa in the presence of their family members on 24 May 2019. About 54% reacted negatively to the statement, while the remaining 46% reacted positively to it. The survey also showed that an overwhelming proportion of Singaporeans, or 80%, agreed that people in the LGBTQ community still faced discrimination in Singapore.

=See also=
 * Archive of NTU study "Homosexuality in Singapore: Perceptions, Public Opinion, and the Media" (24 January 2011)
 * Demographics of sexual orientation
 * LGBT demographics of the United States
 * Demographics of Singapore

=References=
 * Samantha Allen, "Why We Need an LGBT Census", Daily Beast, 7 October 2016.
 * Feisal Abdul Rahman, "NTU study looks at national attitudes towards homosexuals", NTU News Releases, 9 January 2013.
 * Benjamin H. Detenber, Shirley S. Ho, Rachel L. Neo, Shelley Malik, Mark Cenite, "Influence of value predispositions, interpersonal contact, and mediated exposure on public attitudes toward homosexuals in Singapore", Asian Journal of Social Psychology, 27 December 2012,.
 * Alex Au, "Singapore creeps towards more acceptance of gay people", Yawning Bread, 11 January 2013.
 * Benjamin H. Detenber, Mark Cenite, Moses K. Y. Ku, Carol P. L. Ong, Hazel Y. Tong, Magdalene L. H. Yeow, "Singaporeans’ Attitudes toward Lesbians and Gay Men and their Tolerance of Media Portrayals of Homosexuality", International Journal of Public Opinion Research, 19 (3): 367-379, 2007.
 * AnJ, "Singapore Gay-Ready!", Sayoni, 3 November 2007.

=Acknowledgements=

This article was written by Roy Tan.