IRI Research: Support for LGBTIQ+ Among Ukrainian Youth on the Rise

The results of the third wave of a national youth survey conducted by the Centre for Analysis and Sociological Research of the International Republican Institute (IRI) as part of the ‘Youth as Drivers of Ukrainian National Identity’ programme show positive dynamics regarding the perception of the LGBTIQ+ community in Ukraine.

The survey, carried out in June 2024, covered young people aged 16-35. According to the results, 70% of respondents agreed that members of the LGBTIQ+ community should be accepted by society (31% strongly agree, 39% somewhat agree).

Notably, the level of comfort in personal interactions with LGBTIQ+ community members has increased compared to the previous year. In 2024, 61% of respondents indicated that such interactions would be generally comfortable for them, whereas in 2023 this figure stood at 59%.

An even more positive trend is observed regarding attitudes towards same-sex couples. In 2024, 69% of respondents indicated comfort in personal interactions with them, which is 2% higher than in 2023 (67%).

It’s interesting to note regional differences in attitudes towards the LGBTIQ+ community. The highest level of acceptance is observed in Kyiv, where 84% of respondents agreed (either strongly or somewhat) that LGBTIQ+ individuals should be accepted by society. In contrast, the lowest figure was recorded in western Ukraine – 63%.

The gender distribution also shows interesting results. Women demonstrate a higher level of acceptance of the LGBTIQ+ community: 78% of women believe that members of the LGBTIQ+ community should be accepted by society, compared to 62% of men.

These data confirm the general trend we’ve been observing over recent years: about two-thirds of Ukrainian society no longer share homo/transphobic prejudices, and this proportion is slowly but steadily growing.

It’s worth noting that the theoretical margin of error for the study does not exceed 2.6%, indicating high reliability of the obtained results.