Most Hongkongers believe anti-gay attitudes should be tolerated: research

Almost 70 per cent of people believe society should tolerate anti-homosexual attitudes while more than half say the government should not require all schools to teach that both homosexual and heterosexual love are beautiful, new research has found.

The Family School Sexual Orientation Discrimination Ordinance Concern Group, an anti-gay-rights group which commissioned the research, said the Equal Opportunities Commission should respect people's opinions and halt a review of anti-discrimination laws which could extend protection to gay couples in a "de facto marriage".

But gay right activists argue the research reinforces why laws are needed to protect homosexuals from widespread discrimination in society.

The survey, based on interviews with 611 adults, was conducted by Polytechnic University researchers in November.

Some 68 per cent of respondents agreed that society should tolerate different opinions, including those against homosexuality, while only 15 per cent disagreed, the study showed. And 57 per cent disagreed with the idea that schools should teach pupils that "both homosexual and heterosexual love are beautiful".

At present, the city has no law against discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation.