Smashing Stereotypes with Acceptance

Last year was a momentous year for LGBTQ+ movements as we saw 3 countries; Australia, Germany and Malta, make the leap to legalise same sex marriage.

At this point, only 26 countries legally allow same sex marriage which remains a small percentage (12%) of the world considering that a significant proportion of the global population identify as ‘queer’ in some form.

Hopefully the trend to legislate in favour of same-sex couples will continue to gain traction and we will see higher rates of acceptance and harmony as a result.

Global Attitudes towards Homosexuality (2013)

Source: PEW Research Centre

The Council on Foreign Relations reports on the strong correlation between “LGBT rights and democratic societies” and that “nearly all the countries that allow same-sex marriage [are listed] as “free.”"

In this way, the acceptance and empowerment of LGBTQ+ people and their rights also has the potential to improve societal involvement and break down harmful gender stereotypes.

These stereotypes, substantiated by national data, include patriarchal beliefs that women should do most of the housework and stay at home with the children, while their husbands work full-time certificate level jobs.

Unpaid Housework per Week (2016)

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics

According to the 2016 Census, females in heterosexual relationships are 4 times more likely to complete more than 30 hours of unpaid housework per week, such as caring for their children, compared to that of their male partners.

This immense gap between heterosexual counterparts is not reflected between same-sex categories, as 40% of both females and males in same-sex relationships are most likely to complete around 10 hours of unpaid housework.

These statistics suggest there is a more equalised distribution of housework and paternal roles within same-sex couples in the LGBTQ+ community.

Level of Education Attained (2016)

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics

There is an astonishing rate of 45% of heterosexual males who complete certificate to diploma certification, in comparison to 20-25% of homosexual males and females, over any other form of education.

This portrays conventional gender constructs which encourage males in heterosexual couples to work trade or manually orientated professions.

On the other hand, those in same-sex couples are more likely to complete higher level of education, such as Post-Graduate or Graduate Diplomas, than either females or males in heterosexual relationships.

Based on this data, the inclusion of LGBTQ communities as a part of social normativity, either through attitudes or legislation, has the potential transform the 'nuclear' family.

And, if normalised, women could be more likely to return to work after children, men could feel less pressured into masculine and income driven occupations and unpaid housework could be shared equally.