SYDNEY, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- Members of the Australian homosexual community three times less comfortable holding hands in public than other Australians, according to a report released Monday by banking giant ANZ.
The report was commissioned ahead of Sydney's annual Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, which draws visitors, and television viewers, from around the globe, and found that 94 percent of Australians think people should feel comfortable holding hands in public, while only 43 percent of those in the homosexual community feel the same way.
Fifty-two percent of homosexuals say they have felt uncomfortable holding hands in the general community, while only 18 percent of the wider public surveyed sharing those concerns.
ANZ managing director of corporate banking, Mark Hand said everyone in Australia should feel comfortable holding hands in public, but the research shows this just isn't the case.
"This highlights just one of the challenges that many members of the LGBTIQ community face in everyday situations." Hand said.
Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras CEO Therese Casu said in a statement, the research highlights the "daily pressures" that homosexuals face.
"It's a simple and loving gesture to hold your partner's hand, however for fear of discrimination, the reality is that many in the community still don't feel safe."
The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras will be held on March 4, 2017.
