Religious influence on the political tolerance about homosexuals: comparative analysis in Latin America

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to discuss the influence of religion on political tolerance about homosexuals and, equally, to identify which religious aspects are most prominent in the act of tolerating, through the three B's, belonging, believing and behaving. The empirical material comes from the Latin American Public Opinion Project (LAPOP), more specifically from the rounds of questionnaires from 2014 to 2019, applied in Brazil, Uruguay, El Salvador and Guatemala. It starts with the hypothesis (H1) that countries with the lowest tolerance rates have religiously active individuals, who attach greater importance to religion and are affiliated with more conservative religious denominations. Through linear regressions, as well as comparative analyzes, it was found that H1 was partially confirmed, because in only one round, significant differences were found between countries. Therefore, in general, the Protestant religious denomination also influences the four countries, causing a decrease in tolerance.