Faced with the statement “I am proud of how Britain treats gay people” 15% of respondents who identified as Muslim ‘strongly agreed’ – a higher figure than for the secular community and significantly higher than for Christians. In fact, only Sikhs agreed more ‘strongly’, at 16.7%.
The poll, carried out by the progressive Conservative think tank Demos, challenges assumptions that Muslims are less tolerant of homosexuality than other religious followers. 47% of Muslims agreed with the statement overall and a quarter disagreed with it; 10.6% strongly. To see the full breakdown of figures, go here.
The poll asked a number of questions about pride in British institutions and society. The Muslim respondents were generally supportive of Britain, giving rise to an essay by Max Wind-Cowie on how Muslims are “more tolerant and less extremist” than people think. To read the essay, go here