Understanding Hong Kong Adolescents’ and Adults’ Attitudes Toward Homosexuality

Title: understanding Hong Kong adolescents’ and adults’ attitudes toward homosexuality
Chapter 4: Analysis and Discussion
Based on the findings done in Chapter 3 and related studies, this chapter would discuss the actual views of the Hong Kong people towards homosexuality.

4.1 The truth about the people’s views towards homosexuality
4.1.1Discrepancy between expected and actual outcomes
There is discrepancy between the researcher’s anticipated outcomes and the actual outcomes. At the beginning, the researcher expected that there are much more people who oppose or reject homosexuality than those who accept it. As a matter of fact, majority of the respondents has shown a willingness to tolerate homosexuality, and most of them do not oppose it. Majority of the respondents believe that homosexuality and homosexual marriage should be legal. They are neutral towards homosexuality. Moreover, they do not refuse to make friends with homosexuals, or even having physical contact with them.

To explain the people’s view, the following may serve as reference. • Increasing attention to one’s own right
People generally pay more attention to the claim and protection to one’s own right, the “humanism “spirit in legislation is prominent day by day. People consider loving others and being loved as human rights, and they respect free love. From this point of view, we should consider the demand of the homosexual crowd as one of disadvantaged groups. More and more homosexual companions hope to get married now. They want to enjoy and undertake the same right and obligation as the heterosexual couple. • Influences from western countries
In some western countries and districts, same-sex partners can conduct marriage and enjoy some marital and familial rights. Same-sex marriage which is a whole new form in the human society has caused widespread concern and controversy. People’s attitudes towards homosexuals become more tolerant under the influences. • People’s personal experiences
Majority of the respondents think that homosexuals do no harm to the appearance of the city. Presumably, they believe that homosexuality is a personal choice of way of living, and one of the ingredients of the multi-cultural society. They do not reject homosexuals simply because homosexuals do not affect their daily life.

• Ethical concern
To those respondents who oppose homosexuality, homosexuality is ethically wrong.
In Hong Kong, Traditional values emphasize conventional family life and the continuation of blood lines. Due to restrictions of traditional morality and ethics, homosexual phenomenon has not yet been understood by those respondents. • Religious beliefs
Homosexuality may have conflict with one’s religious beliefs. Due to restrictions of those beliefs, homosexual phenomenon has not yet been understood by those respondents.

4.2 Measures to protect homosexual’s right
The government has shown a willingness quietly to tolerate homosexuality, but has failed to do much in the way of providing explicit protection. The researcher suggested that homosexual marriage legislation is necessary in order to protect one’s own right. The essence of marriage is individual’s pursuit and satisfaction to material, emotion, physiology, etc, but not for bearing offspring and any other reasons. The purpose of marriage is to pursue happiness, but not to give birth to the child. The marriage of homosexual person is acceptable because it is on the basis of emotion. Homosexuality’s existence is one’s own sexual orientation, is a kind of state and personality. They are just like left-handed person and nothing else. Homosexual as a normal natural person should enjoy the same basic rights of the heterosexual. And the public should also make great efforts to create a tolerant social environment to make the world more beautiful and harmonious.

3. Limitations of the study
First and foremost, the online questionnaire involving 210 recipients for sampling may bring a rather confined and biased picture of people’s attitudes towards homosexuality. However, under quantitative research, statistics on numerical data can be analyzed easily. Thus, people’s degree of acceptance toward homosexuality is reflected as much as possible already.

Secondly, understanding of recipients may not be explored to its full. Under quantitative research, standardized answers are given. The researcher may not provide all the possible answers. Thus, the findings may not fully reveal the real picture in multiple dimensions.

Thirdly, time has always been a constraint to the researcher. So as to ensure the authenticity of people’s way of understanding, the researcher has spent considerable time on analyzing the data.

4. Areas for further study
Despite the limitations, the study can hopefully unfold the complexity of people’s attitudes towards homosexuality. This study has brought some insights to the government in improving the existing rights to the homosexuals. The following suggestions may also serve as good topics for further studies:

• Government’s view towards homosexuality • Homosexual’s view towards their own rights

The rationale behind these suggestions is highly understandable. Homosexual marriage should not be the sole concern to general public. Other stakeholders with government in particular should also be consulted. In fact, the government is the one to implement the policies. Their opinions and attitudes are fundamental to the legislation of homosexual marriage.

4.6 Afterthoughts
To the researcher’s belief, this study has broadened people’s views on ways of understanding of the homosexuality. Action speaks louder than words. Research without action is meaningless. To put the knowledge into reality relies immensely on people’s willingness and determination. Accommodating the changes is not easy. However, it is each single little step taken by government that a great leap towards the protection of homosexual rights can be achieved.

END OF CHAPTER FOUR