A clear majority of older Australians support marriage equality, according to a YourLifeChoices survey, although the results are split along gender lines.
Last week, we asked for your opinion on the marriage equality survey, and the issue certainly drew strong opinions.
We had 516 responses to the survey, and of those, 95 per cent either had voted or intended to vote in the Government’s postal survey on the issue.
More than 55 per cent of respondents (280) said they agreed with changing the Marriage Act to allow same sex marriage, while 43 per cent were opposed. Only two per cent of respondents did not have an opinion on the issue.
The figures, though, varied vastly between men and women. Men were more likely to oppose marriage equality, while women were more likely to be in favour.
Of the 257 men who responded to the survey, 53 per cent were opposed to changing the Marriage Act, with only 44 per cent in favour. Women, on the other hand, were much more categorical in their support, with 67 per cent in favour and only 32 per cent opposed.
The survey also found that support for marriage equality was higher among younger respondents and gradually decreased as they got older.
Those aged 54 or under (just 30 of the 516 respondents) were strongest in their support, with 70 per cent in favour. Those aged 55-64 (111 respondents) were 60 per cent in favour, while those aged 65 and over, still had a majority in favour of changing the Marriage Act, but only 53 per cent, compared to 45 per cent opposed to the change.
Sixty-five per cent of women aged 65 and over were still overwhelmingly in support of the change, but men in that age bracket were the most likely to oppose the change with 55 per cent registering their opposition to the proposed change.
Why do you think there is such disparity between men and women on this issue?
Related articles:
YourLifeChoices supports SSM
How the ‘yes’ vote got your number
Same sex marriage a certainty
