A federal court ruling striking down Florida’s ban on same-sex marriage went into effect today, January 6, 2015, opening marriage to same-sex couples in the state. Williams Institute scholars, who have filed amici briefs in the cases seeking marriage rights for same-sex couples in Florida, are available to comment and provide legal and demographic analysis on same-sex couples, their children, and LGBT people in Florida.
In Florida, there are nearly 48,500 cohabiting same-sex couples, of whom an estimated 16% are raising nearly 13,550 children in their homes. Among couples with children in Florida, same-sex couples are approximately 1.5 times more likely than their different-sex married counterparts to be raising an adopted child, and same-sex couples are approximately 6 times more likely than their different-sex married counterparts to be fostering a child.
Williams Institute research also suggests that 24,248 of these couples will marry in the first 3 years, generating $182.2 million to the state and local economy of Florida and an additional $12.1 million in sales tax revenue. Spending related to same-sex couples’ wedding ceremonies and celebrations is expected to create 875 to 2,626 jobs in the tourism and recreation sector for the state. A full version of the state report is available here.
Key nationwide statistics include:
More than three-quarters (75.8%) of same-sex couples across the country are living in 36 states (including Florida) where they can marry and more than seven-in-ten Americans are living in states that allow marriage for same-sex couples.
Williams Institute research suggests that there were 690,000 same-sex couples in the US in 2013 raising an estimated 200,000 children. As many as 30,000 of those children are being raised by married parents.
Recent Williams Institute analyses suggest that the number of married same-sex couples, estimated to be as high as 130,000 in 2013, has increased by more than 50% over the last 3 years.
Williams Institute scholars have filed amicus briefs in, and served as expert witnesses in, many cases concerning marriage rights for same-sex couples, and numerous courts have relied explicitly on William Institute research in striking down bans on marriage for same-sex couples.
