A beach

A survey of views in the Bahamas has revealed strong anti-gay feeling.

The Nassau Guardian reports that 74.5% of respondents strongly disapprove of same-sex marriage, with just under 10% approving of it to any degree. In 2013 Prime Minister Perry Christie said the Bahamas would not consider same-sex marriage and it was not something he believed in.

Last year, Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell said that Bahamians should accept a gay or lesbian politician, saying: “Martin Luther King said it is the content of your character, that’s the only thing that matters. That’s what this country stands for, the content of your character.”

However the survey reveals that his views are not shared by the majority of residents of the island nation – with only 12% showing positive feelings towards a gay or lesbian person running for office. Over half of all respondants said they strong disapproved of the idea of a gay or lesbian politician, with a further 23% showing some level of disapproval.

Nearly 3,500 people were surveyed, and the Bahamas Christian Council have cited it as evidence that the Bahamas are not ready for a gay politician.

While being gay is legal in the Bahamas, LGBT people are afforded no legal protections or rights at all.

Last year’s Pride weekend in the Bahamas was cut short due to death threats.