Gay marriage divorce rate lower than straight couples

It’s been revealed that same-sex couples in the US have almost half the divorce rate of their heterosexual counterparts.

According to the Williams Institute, the annual divorce rate for married gay and lesbian couples is on average 1.1%. This compares to the 2% divorce rate for married different-sex couples.

If one includes other forms of legal recognition of same-sex relationships, such as civil unions, the dissolution rate rises to 1.6%.

The Institute also found that lesbian couples represented two-thirds (64%) of all same-sex couples who entered legal relationships in the US.

The information was gleaned from administrative data from US states that recognised same-sex marriages and relationships as of early 2014.

The Institute noted that since the US Supreme Court’s June 2013 decision in support of same-sex marriage, there has been a significant increase in the number of same-sex couples marrying – even in states that had marriage equality long before the decision.

The implication is that the court’s decision had a distinct impact on the public’s perception of same-sex marriages, giving these relationships added social credibility.

Gay and lesbian couples can now marry in 35 states in the US.