As same sex couples across the country are given the right to marry (or access to civil unions) in more and more states, we are also getting our first glimpses of gay divorce.

The Williams Institute, a think tank focused on gay legal rights, has released new research regarding gay marriage and gay divorce. Here are a few highlights:

  • Currently, the gay divorce rate is half that of heterosexual married couples – while two percent of couples in traditional marriages divorce each year, about one percent of those in same-sex marriages seek divorce. 
  • About 20 percent of same-sex couples have entered into marriage, domestic partnerships, or civil unions. 
  • Since gay marriage and civil unions have been legalized in several states, about 150,000 homosexual couples have married. 
  • Two out of three married same-sex couples are lesbians. 
  • Gay couples are more likely to marry than they are to enter into a civil union or domestic partnership. 


Of course, we should note that these statistics represent couples who are getting married at the beginning of a new movement – while these couples may have been in relationships for many years, the divorce rates may be affected by the fact that they simply haven’t been married for as long as others. At the same time, divorce may be an unpopular choice after fighting for the right to marry – whether or not the relationship is working out.

Do you need the services of a Washington State divorce attorney? Call Molly Kenny today to discuss your rights, your future, and your plan.

Molly B. Kenny
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Divorce and Child Custody Attorney Serving Bellevue and Seattle Washington
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