Some food for thought in regards to the Gay Marriage debate from a new UCLA study of gay married couples in Massachusetts — they’re happier people with stronger relationships with their parents and sliblings, and more likely to be out at work and in their professional lives.
From the story on Boston.com:
“A significant majority of the 558 gay men and women surveyed said that since marrying, they feel more committed to their spouses, more accepted in their community, and more likely to be open about their sexual orientation at work.
The survey indicates that there is something universal about the legal protections and social advantages afforded by the institution of marriage, said the study’s authors from the University of California, Los Angeles as well as independent researchers. And it suggests, they said, that a ritual once scorned even by many same-sex couples has the power to ease discrimination.”
and then there is this detail:
“Virtually all of the married men and women who responded – 93 percent – said “love and commitment” were the prime factors in their decision to wed.
Marriage appears to have forged stronger ties between spouses and their families and even colleagues on the job. When asked whether marriage had created a stronger bond with their partners, nearly three-quarters said it had. And families, the gay couples said, reacted with overwhelming acceptance of their marriage: 82percent said their parents responded positively, while 91 percent indicated siblings were receptive.
Eight of 10 study participants said that being married made them more likely to disclose their sexual orientation to their coworkers and doctors.”