96,000 Same-sex Couples Married Since U.S. Supreme Court Decision

Author: The Williams Institute
Published: 7th Nov 2015
Peer-Reviewed Publication: N/A
Additional References: Gay Marriage Publications

Summary: Same-sex American couples who have tied the knot account for 11 percent of all summer weddings.

Main Document

Since the U.S. Supreme Court legalized marriage equality nationwide in June, the 96,000 same-sex couples who have tied the knot account for 11 percent of all summer weddings, according to an analysis released by Gary J. Gates, Blachford-Cooper Distinguished Scholar and Research Director, and Taylor N.T. Brown, Policy Analyst, at the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law.

The study, titled "Marriage and Same-sex Couples after Obergefell," analyzes new data from the Gallup Daily Tracking survey and the American Community Survey to show the impact of the U.S. Supreme Court decisions in Windsor v. United States in June 2013 and Obergefell v. Hodges in June 2015.

"These data make it clear that the majority of same-sex couples in the United States will soon be married," Gates said. "That means more American children can benefit from the stability and economic security that marriage can provide. It also means that it will be easier for more families to adopt some of the country's most vulnerable children and provide stable and loving homes."

Key findings from the report include:

In the first half of 2015, same-sex couples comprised just 6 percent of all marriages. From July to October, same-sex couples comprised 11 percent of all marriages.
In 2013, the year the Windsor ruling was issued, an estimated 230,000 same-sex couples were married, or 21 percent of all same-sex couples.
By June 2015 just before Obergefell was decided, 390,000 same-sex couples were married, or 38 percent of all same-sex couples.
As of October, 486,000 same-sex couples are married, or 45 percent of all same-sex couples.

"As Americans attend the weddings of their friends, family, and work colleagues, research shows that support for marriage equality will continue to grow," Gates said.

Latest Gay Marriage Publications

The above information is from our Gay Marriage Publications that includes:

After Marriage Equality Ruling LGBT Emotional Well-being Improved - U.S. Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, which extended marriage equality nationwide in June 2015, had positive impact on happiness and life satisfaction of LGBT people.

Same-sex Weddings Boost U.S. State Economies by $3.8 Billion Since Marriage Equality Ruling - Same-sex wedding spending by 293,000 couples and their out-of-state guests has boosted U.S. state and local economies by an estimated $3.8 billion.

96,000 Same-sex Couples Married Since U.S. Supreme Court Decision - Same-sex American couples who have tied the knot account for 11 percent of all summer weddings.

Marriage Equality - Proposed Rule Change by Treasury Department - Proposed regulations further clarify federal tax code relating to marriage to be inclusive of same-sex spouses.