This brief provides information for the LGBT community about the upcoming Census 2010.

I am pleased to offer testimony for this UAFA hearing showing that, like their different-sex married counterparts, the nearly 36,000 same-sex bi-national couples living in the U.S. are in stable relationships, raising children, and making positive contributions to the economic and social life of this country. I commend Senator Leahy for advocating for inclusion of gay and lesbian bi-national families through comprehensive immigration reform.

New study shows 2.4 million (29%) LGBT adults experienced a time in the last year when they did not have enough money to feed themselves or their family.  LGBT people experience disproportionate levels of food insecurity and higher participation rates in the SNAP program, especially those raising children, a risk that persists despite possible differences in demographic characteristics between LGBT and non-LGBT individuals like gender, age, race/ethnicity, and educational attainment. For example, data suggest that same-sex couples raising children are approximately twice as likely to receive food stamps as different-sex couples with children.

This research brief analyzes data from three national population-based surveys that include measures of LGBT identity or being part of a same-sex couple along with measures of food insecurity or participation in SNAP.  Both descriptive and multivariate analyses were used.

This research brief uses new data from the American Community Survey and the General Social Survey to provide updated estimates of how many lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals (LGB) are serving in the US military. It also updates estimates of the cost of the US military’s “Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell” (DADT) policy.

Data from the American Community Survey suggest that marriage equality has a small but positive impact on the number of individuals in same-sex couples who are attracted to a state. However, marriage equality appears to have a larger impact on the types of individuals in same-sex couples who are attracted to a state. This study shows that in Massachusetts marriage equality resulted in an increase of younger, female, and more highly educated and skilled individuals in same-sex couples moving to the state.

The US Census Bureau release of data from the 2008 American Community Survey (ACS) included the first official estimates for the number of same-sex couples who called one partner a “husband” or “wife”. This report compares these same-sex spousal couples to those who designated a partner as an “unmarried partner”. Comparisons are also made with comparable different-sex couples.

This brief provides information for the LGBT community about the upcoming Census 2010.

The US Census Bureau has released new data regarding same-sex couples from the 2008 American Community Survey. Notably, this marks the first time the Census Bureau has released official estimates for the number of same-sex spouses in the US. An estimated 149,956 same-sex couples identified one partner as a husband or wife, and an estimated 414,787 additional same-sex couples identified as “unmarried partners”.

Studies documenting economic, social, and even health advantages to stable marriages and quality relationships explain why the indicators and outcomes of long-term relationship stability are of great interest to social scientists. The bulk of research on relationship stability and duration focuses on heterosexual couples. Many same-sex couples maintain long-term relationships akin to marriage, yet little is known about the degree to which these relationships might provide similar advantages to lesbians and gay men. This study uses data from the United States decennial census (2000) to compare demographic, economic, and health differences among non-coupled individuals and those in three different coupling arrangements—different-sex married, different-sex unmarried, and same-sex couples—and explore how these differences correlate and perhaps predict long-term coresidential stability. Findings indicate broad similarity in predictors of stability among different-sex married and same-sex and different-sex unmarried couples. The odds of being in a long-term relationship relative to different-sex married couples are higher for same-sex couples living in states with sexual orientation anti-discrimination laws, suggesting that supportive social and legal climates do impact relationship stability in couples.