20.51% of lesbians and 17.71% of gay men in Italy have at least one child over the age of 40. This is revealed by the largest scientific survey ever conducted on the country's homosexual and bisexual population. The study examined the health and relationship status of a statistical sample of 10,000 people.
The results were presented at a conference in Florence on December 16th.
Paternity
Gay dad, lesbian mom. In Italy, 17.71% of gay men and 20.51% of lesbians over 40 have at least one child.. The percentage drops but remains significant if all age groups are considered. One in twenty gay or lesbian parents are parents. To be precise, 5% of the former (4.7% is the biological father) and 4.9% of the latter (4.5% is the biological father). This was revealed by Ways-of, the most extensive statistical survey ever conducted in Italy on the homosexual and bisexual population and the first to also include women, conducted by Arcigay with the support of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità. The results of the research, which involved approximately 10,000 people in recent months, will be presented in a Conference in Florence, Friday, December 16, 9 a.m., Palazzo dei Congressi, Piazza Adua 1.
“The high number of homosexual parents is the most striking fact, even if it confirms similar data recorded in other countries — comment Sergio Lo Giudice, national president of Arcigay – These numbers reflect the reality of at least one hundred thousand Italian children and young people with a gay or lesbian parent. The abolition of social prejudice against them and their parents is a primary goal for society as a whole.”.
It is a chiaroscuro portrait of the condition of gays and lesbians in Italy that emerges from the first analyses of the research, conducted on a select sample of 6774 subjects (4690 males, 2084 females), who identify as gay or lesbian, or who have recently had sexual relations with members of the same sex. While reality seems more advanced than expected in more intimate areas, such as parenthood, other aspects of the public sphere, such as the freedom to speak out, are lagging behind the social situation.
Coming out: only the 16.5% does so
Only 16.51% of males and 151% of females in the sample examined are fully "visible," meaning they don't hide their sexual orientation in any social context: with friends, family, or colleagues at work or school. And nearly one in 10 men (9.71% of males) and 4.11% of females have never spoken about it to anyone.
The majority of homosexual people, in fact, live in an intermediate situation, avoiding the knowledge of their homosexuality among some of their regular associates. The easiest place to "come out," that is, to keep their homosexuality a secret, is among friends, who are all or almost all aware of it in 48.91% of cases. But it is significant that half of gay and lesbian people hide their sexuality even from some of them. The situation within the family appears even more difficult, where only 38.61% of those interviewed have disclosed their homosexuality to all or almost all of their immediate family members, while 341% have never disclosed it to anyone. Finally, the most resistant environment to "coming out" is the workplace, where only a minority of the 24.11% of those interviewed do not hide their homosexuality, compared to 37.31% who have never mentioned it. In all three social spheres, and for both gays and lesbians, it also appears easier to remain hidden in Northern and Central Italy than in the South.
“In general, in our society, sexual orientation, having a steady relationship, being married, dating a partner, are public aspects of each person's identity and sexuality, shared with the people closest to them. — observes Raffaele Lelleri, sociologist and director of the survey – The fact that gays and lesbians avoid talking about it in certain contexts, for example in the family, or among friends or work colleagues, indicates that they do not perceive the climate of the environment in which they live as welcoming enough"’.
Couple life: women more than men
Women tend to have stable relationships more frequently than men. 60.71% of females are in a relationship (8.71% with a man), compared to 45.71% of males (5.51% with a woman). The research also includes the bisexual population. Among men, the relationship status increases with age: in particular, it exceeds half of the sample over the age of 31. Among women, it peaks between the ages of 26 and 30 and stabilizes with a slight decline in subsequent years. The exception is couples between women and a man, which instead declines in adulthood and older age.
New partners: gays online, lesbians through friends
The main meeting places differ significantly between men and women. Among gay men, the internet is the most popular, with 51.61% of the sample having recently met new partners. This is followed by 32% who have met in public gay venues such as bars, nightclubs, and pubs, 20.71% in saunas, 20.51% in outdoor meeting places (but only 9.41% among those under 25), 16.11% at friends' houses, 14.91% on the beach, and 7.21% in gay and lesbian associations. The situation is reversed for lesbians, who meet at friends' houses (18.61%) more than over the internet (15.51%). A good 17.81% meet in gay clubs, and 61% at gay and lesbian associations. In the South, men have more difficulty meeting in clubs, which are much less widespread than in the rest of the country.
Religion: Catholics 41%
Of those interviewed, 48.21% are religious believers, with a clear discrepancy between gay men (50.51%) and lesbians (42.91%). 35.41% of men and 41.41% of women are not religious believers, while 14.61% of the sample are either unaware or not interested, with a substantial difference between men and women. Only 41.1% of gay men and 39.11% of lesbians identify as Catholic. The percentage of Buddhists is significant, especially among men. The vast majority of believers are either barely or not at all practicing.
Gay, lesbian, or bisexual?
Among the males interviewed, a large majority define themselves as “gay” (62.1%) or homosexual (9%). However, one in four chooses between “bisexual” (10.6%) or “I usually don't use definitions” (13.6%). The remaining 4.7% is divided between “other”, “I don't know”, and “heterosexual”. Females do not use a term as widely shared as “gay”. In fact, those who define themselves as “lesbian” are less than half (40.7%). Among the others, 6.5% choose “homosexual”, 4.5% “gay”, but a good 28.2% usually don't use definitions (more than double the number of males), and 13.3% is bisexual. “Other” is indicated by 4.2% and the remaining 2.6% is divided between “don’t know” and “heterosexual”.
Sample characteristics
The sample analyzed, consisting of 6,774 people (4,690 males, 2,084 females), is overwhelmingly composed of Italian citizens (97.71 TP3T). 31.61 TP3T live in the North East, 29.21 TP3T in the North West, 22.31 TP3T in the Center, 171 TP3T in the South and the Islands. The distribution by age group is clearly in favor of young people. In fact, those interviewed under 40 represent 84.91 TP3T of the total. In particular, those under 25 reach 32.71 TP3T, those between 26 and 30 years old reach 20.91 TP3T, between 31 and 40 years old 31.31 TP3T, between 41 and 50 years old 12.21 TP3T, and those over 50 2.81 TP3T. The percentage of questionnaires completed online was 78.61 TP3T, compared to 21.41 TP3T on paper. Data collection was coordinated by a scientific team of sociologists, psychologists, and statisticians and was carried out with the help of dozens of volunteers across the country.