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Impact of Civil Marriage Recognition for Long-Term Same-Sex Couples

Sexuality Research and Social Policy volume 14, pages 223–232 (2017)Cite this article

Abstract

Many same-sex couples had already established long-term relationships prior to the availability of civil marriage rights in the USA. The impact and possible benefits of marriage and marriage recognition for long-term couples was tested using data from a sample of couple members: 307 in a civil marriage and 50 with no legal relationship status. The reported study was conducted prior to marriage recognition in all US states and tests the associations of marital status and living in a state that recognized civil marriages of same-sex couples with self-reports of positive and negative LGB (lesbian, gay, and bisexual) identity, social support, and daily discrimination. Dyadic regression analyses revealed that participants in a civil marriage reported higher levels of LGB identity centrality and support from partner. Residing in a state that recognized civil marriage was associated with lower levels of LGB identity concealment, a less difficult process accepting one’s LGB identity, and less vigilance and isolation. Results are discussed in terms of the benefits of long-term relationships and the impact of socio-historical context and marriage policy on same-sex relationships.

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Acknowledgments

Funding for this research was provided by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development R01HD069370 (Kimberly F. Balsam, PI). We thank Jennifer Clark, project coordinator, and Ted Beauchaine, consultant, for their contributions to this project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Political Science, University of Kentucky, 1615 Patterson Office Tower, Lexington, KY, USA

    Ellen D. B. Riggle

  2. Pacific Graduate School of Psychology, Palo Alto University, 1791 Arastradero Road, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA

    Robert E. Wickham & Kimberly F. Balsam

  3. Department of Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology, 231 Dickey Hall, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA

    Sharon S. Rostosky

  4. Department of Women’s Studies, San Diego State University, and Williams Institute, UCLA School of Law, Mail Code 6030, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA, 92182, USA

    Esther D. Rothblum

Authors
  1. Ellen D. B. Riggle
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  2. Robert E. Wickham
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  3. Sharon S. Rostosky
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  4. Esther D. Rothblum
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  5. Kimberly F. Balsam
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ellen D. B. Riggle.

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Funding

This study was funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development R01HD069370 (K. F. Balsam, PI).

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Riggle, E.D.B., Wickham, R.E., Rostosky, S.S. et al. Impact of Civil Marriage Recognition for Long-Term Same-Sex Couples. Sex Res Soc Policy 14, 223–232 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13178-016-0243-z

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Keywords

  • Lesbian
  • Gay
  • Bisexual
  • Long-term relationships
  • Marriage
  • Same-sex marriage
  • Minority stress
  • Same-sex relationships