Flemish OK about gay weddings

24 July 2007

BRUSSELS – 65 percent of the Flemish think it is a good thing that gays, lesbians and bi-sexuals get married. In 2003 only one third of the Flemish thought so. “That is double the number, an obvious sign that attitudes to ‘holebi’s’ have improved”, says Jo Noppe of the Flemish governmental studies agency.

Adoption by gays and lesbians has also become more and more accepted, although the increase is more gradual. Acceptance for adoption by 2 women increased from 38 percent in 2003 to 48 percent in 2006; for adoption by 2 men the percentage went up from 30 to 41%. “For adoption by homosexual men as well as lesbians we have observed an increase of 10 percent. This development is also showing a positive trend,” says Jo Noppe.

The figures are published in the “Focus on Equal Rights”, a supplement of the VRIND report, Flemish Regional Indicators, part of Belgian government statistics output.

Subject: Belgian news