Survey: Only 1% homosexual, not 10%

Survey: Only 1% homosexual, not 10%
Activists outraged by government stats showing 'low' figure

Posted: June 16, 2004
1:00 a.m. Eastern

2004 WorldNetDaily.com

Activists in Canada are disputing statistics from the government in Ottawa
released yesterday that show just 1 percent of the nation's population

themselves as homosexual.

The figures from the Canadian Community Health Survey also indicate 0.7

of Canadians said they were bisexual, the Canadian Press news service

Advocates for homosexual rights cast doubt on the government's numbers.

"What's clear is that there is under-reporting,'' Laurie Arron, director

advocacy for the "gay"-rights group Egale told the news service, claiming

number of homosexuals is somewhere between 5 and 10 percent.

"I think you can definitely count on under-reporting, there's no question

that,'' said Michael Botnick, a professor of anthropology and sociology at

University of British Columbia.

The survey found 1.3 percent of men considered themselves homosexual

to 0.7 percent of women. Some 0.9 percent of women said they were

compared to 0.6 of men.

Homosexual activists claim there is reluctance among respondents to

report their sexual orientation on a government survey.

Botnick argued homosexuality is hard to define statistically.

"Sexuality is a very slippery and elusive issue that has little to do with

homosexual or queer, however anyone wants to describe it,'' he said.

"Somebody who has never had a same-sex experience, ever in their lives,

fantasies, does that make them gay, or not? Maybe they are, but they don't
qualify.''

According to the Canadian Press report, Quebec reported the highest number

homosexuals or bisexuals at 2.3 percent of the population. British

followed at 1.9 percent, New Brunswick with 1.6 percent and Ontario at 1.5
percent.

The belief that 10 percent of the population is homosexual is based on
discredited research done by Indiana University zoologist Dr. Alfred

the mid-20th century. More recent research puts the number between 1 and 3
percent.