‘Just one in 100 tells researchers: I’m gay’
By Ben Leapman, Home Affairs Correspondent Telegraph
Last Updated: 2:09am GMT 28/01/2008
Only one in 100 Britons would describe themselves as gay, according to the first government research into the nation’s sexuality. A further one in 100 would call themselves bisexual – but both groups are outnumbered by those who say they are unwilling to discuss their private life with Whitehall researchers. In the survey, some people failed to understand the question and gave answers including “female”, “normal”, “not active” and “I am OK with my sexuality”. Some interviewers declined to ask the question for fear of giving offence. The Office for National Statistics, which carried out the poll of 4,000 people, admitted that its results were “not a reliable estimate” of the homosexual population. It said it would use the findings to develop a more accurate way of measuring.Ministers intend to introduce an annual count once the survey method has been improved. They say they need the information to plan public service provision more accurately.
However, the question will not be asked in the next census in 2011, for fear that it might deter some people from returning their forms.
Statisticians spent two years considering the precise wording of the sexuality question, which was asked as part of a larger survey about lifestyle. In the end, they asked it in two different ways, each bringing different results.
Overall, 94.4 per cent of people surveyed described themselves as heterosexual or “straight”; one per cent said they were gay or lesbian; 0.9 per cent said they were bisexual; 0.6 per cent selected “other”; and three per cent ticked the box for “prefer not to say”.
No one objected to being asked, although interviewers reported that some sniggered or giggled out of amusement or embarrassment.
However, in 15 per cent of cases the interviewer failed to put the question, making the results difficult to interpret.
Homosexual campaigners have claimed previously that as many as one in 10 of the population is gay. Ben Summerskill, the chief executive of the gay rights group Stonewall, believes the true figure to be about six per cent.
He backed the decision to carry out the survey, but said: “There are sensible reasons for putting this question, but if you don’t explain the reasons on the doorstep then people will get anxious and wonder why the man from the ministry is asking about their private life.”
In constructing the survey, statisticians grappled with the definition of homosexuality. Amanda Wilmot of the ONS said: “Human beings do not always conform to a common standard.
“Those who are abstaining, or ignoring desires, or indeed those who are undecided or not yet ‘out’, may not be able to classify themselves at all. One’s desire, behaviour and self-identification might not always match.”
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.
