Oz gays want marriage as personal choice

Melbourne, Sep 14 (ANI): While homosexual marriages are not legal everywhere, most of the gays in Australia prefer marriage to other form of relationships, a survey has revealed.

Researchers at the University of Queensland (UQ) conducted a survey of those attracted to the same sex in Australia.

They also found that a huge majority of homosexuals felt marriage should be an option for same-sex couples in Australia.

The survey revealed that the majority (54.1 per cent) of same-sex attracted participants selected marriage as their personal choice and close to 80 per cent felt that same-sex couples in Australia should be allowed to marry if they want to.

Researcher Sharon Dane, from UQ's School of Psychology, said marriage was still the personal choice of the majority irrespective of the current legal status of participants' same-sex relationships.

"The findings work to dispel the myth that most same-sex people do not wish to marry or are content with de facto status," News.com.au quoted Dane as saying.

"This majority preference for marriage may be a reflection of the fact that fewer same-sex couples feel the need to live their lives in secret.

"A generally less hostile environment means same-sex couples can live their lives more openly and honestly and in doing so wish to be treated like everyone else," she added. (ANI)