Its been a difficult battle, it took years, decades, but gay marriage is slowly becoming more and more accepted in the States and in the world. Remember that same-sex marriage has caused an uproar in US society, as well as public outrage all across the globe. Even though gay marriage is legal nationwide, there are plenty of countries that do not let two men or two women tie the knot. To help enlighten readers, here are the most current statistics on gay marriage, and its status locally and globally..
The Top 10 Gay Marriage Statistics
- In 2017, 62% of Americans were in favor of same-sex marriage.
- 61% of same-sex couples were married as of 2017.
- There are about 94,627 same-sex households in the United States with children, of which 72.8% are biological.
- America belongs among the 29 countries and jurisdictions that let same-sex couples get married.
- According to statistics concerning gay marriage, 58% of Italians believe that gay marriage should be legal throughout Europe.
- As of 2019, Taiwan became the first Asian nation to legalize gay marriage.
- 36.3% of marriages, both heterosexual and homosexual, end in divorce.
- The number of same-sex divorces in England and Wales in 2015 totaled 22.
- 62.5% of Christians in Singapore believe that gay couples should not adopt.
- In the US, 40% of gay men and 34.5% of lesbians do not want to have kids.
Gay Marriage Statistics in the US
1. Gay marriage is legal in all 50 states.
(PewResearch)
On June 26 in 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a landmark decision for all citizens belonging to the LGBT community. On this day, same-sex marriage became legal nationwide, including the 14 states that previously did not allow same-sex marriages to take place.
2. In 2018, 21% of same-sex couples in America were between the ages of 25 and 34, and the same percentage again were 45–54 years old.
(Statista)
According to gay marriage facts and statistics, there is an equal percentage of same-sex couples belonging to the previously mentioned age groups, while 19.2% were 55–64. However, only 4.1% of same-sex couples were between the ages of 15 and 24.
3. In 2017, 62% of Americans were in favor of same-sex marriage.
(PewResearch)
Back in 2009, 37% of adults living in the United States were found to be supporting gay marriages. Nevertheless, gay marriage statistics from 2017 show that the percentage of Americans supporting same-sex marriage rose significantly in a short period. According to research from 2019, this number is remaining steady, with around 61% supporting the cause.
4. 79% of Americans who are not religious support same-sex marriage.
(PewResearch)
In contrast, the statistics on same-sex marriage in the USA reveal that 66% of white mainline Protestants and an impressive 61% of Catholics support gay marriages. However, a mere 29% of white evangelical protestants are supporters.
5. Same sex marriage statistics also reveal that 74% of Millennials support gay marriage.
(PewResearch)
Even though the support for gay marriage has shown impressive growth in the last 15 years, the stats on age gaps show that 45% of adults born in the Silent Generation (between 1928 and 1945) support gay marriage. In addition, 75% of Democrats support it, compared to 44% of Republicans.
6. As of 2017, 61% of same-sex couples were married.
(PewResearch)
According to statistics about gay marriage conducted in 2017, one in 10 Americans who belong to the LGBT community (10.2%) is married to a partner of the same sex. Just months before the high court’s decision, the percentage was 7.9%.
7. There are about 94,627 same-sex households in the United States with children, of which 72.8% are biological.
(LifelongAdoptions)
Furthermore, the stats show that 6% of these same-sex households have only adopted children, and 21.2% have a combination of adopted and biological kids. In comparison, there are over 22 million married and opposite-sex households with kids, of which 4.8% are adopted.
9. Gay marriage statistics from 2013 reveal that 84% of adults who belong to the LGBT community believe that love is a vital reason for tying the knot.
(PewResearch)
Furthermore, 71% of LGBT adults claim that companionship is an important reason for getting married. In comparison, 88% of straight adults cited love as a reason to get married, and 76% cited companionship.
10. Stats on gay and lesbian marriages reveal that 46% of LGBT Americans believe that legal rights and benefits are important reasons for getting married.
(PewResearch)
In comparison, 23% of heterosexual couples believe that legal rights and benefits are important. Also, 35% of LGBT adults believe financial stability is a good reason, whereas 28% of heterosexuals believe the same.
11. America belongs among the 29 countries and jurisdictions that permit same-sex marriage.
(PewResearch)
According to the same sex marriage facts, the Netherlands was the first nation to legalize homosexual marriage in 2000. After the Netherlands, other countries in Europe—such as England, Ireland, Spain, and Austria—legalized it.
Same-Sex Marriage in the World
12. 58% of Italians believe that gay marriage should be legal throughout Europe.
(Statista)
Furthermore, a 2018 Italian survey reveals that 43% of respondents believe that the civil partnership law represents vital progress in achieving equality in gay rights. In fact, civil unions have been recognized by law in Italy since 2016.
13. When it comes to gay marriage throughout the world, statistics from 2019 show that more than 50% of surveyed Spaniards fall in support of gay marriage.
(Statista)
The survey from 2019 had 1,500 participants who were 18 years old or older. On the other hand, 21% of the Spaniards who participated in the study believe that homosexual marriages are unacceptable.
14. As of 2019, Taiwan became the first Asian nation to legalize marriage among same-sex couples.
(BBC)
According to recent same sex marriage facts, over 2,000 gay couples have married since Taiwan legalized gay marriage in May 2019. After hearing the joyful news, over thousands of gay rights supporters celebrated outside the parliament in Taipei.
Same-Sex Couples and Divorce Statistics
15. 36.3% of marriages, both heterosexual and homosexual, end in divorce.
(Brown Law Offices)
According to stats on divorce rates in the United States derived from a CBS survey, the percentage of opposite-sex and same-sex divorce rates is equal. However, another survey claims that 2% of the former gets divorced every year, compared to only 1% of same-sex marriages.
16. According to the gay marriage and divorce statistics, 30% of lesbian marriages end in divorce within a decade.
(Brown Law Offices)
In comparison, only 15% of marriages involving two men end in divorce in the same timeframe. Hence, a Statistics Netherland study concluded that lesbian married couples are more likely to end in divorce.
17. The number of same-sex divorces in England and Wales in 2015 totaled 22.
(DailyMail)
Same-sex marriage was legalized in England and Wales in March 2014. Based on gay marriage statistics from 2015 pertaining to the overall divorce rate, there were 101,055 divorces of heterosexual couples, compared to 22 same-sex couples. These stats point to a 9.1% decrease from the previous year and a 34% decline from 2003, when divorce rates were at their highest. However, divorce stats from 2018 aren’t as positive, showing an actual increase in divorces in the UK once again. Furhtermore, lesbian marraige are more likely to end up in divroce comapred to gay marraige.
Homosexual Households and Adoption Stats
18. 48.1% of survey respondents in Singapore who have a secondary education or lower believe that same-sex couples shouldn’t adopt.
(Statista)
These gay marriage statistics conducted in 2019 in Singapore involved 4,015 respondents aged 18 and older, and it analyzed the beliefs of the respondents by educational background. In comparison, 23.5% of the respondents with a bachelor’s degree or higher claimed that adoption is a good choice.
19. 62.5% of Christians in Singapore believe that gay couples should not adopt.
(Statista)
According to the gay marriage adoption statistics taken from the same survey in Singapore, more than half of the Christians and Muslims surveyed were against adoption in a gay household. In fact, 60.1% of Muslim respondents were against it. Meanwhile, 21.7% of the respondents who were not religious believed the same thing.
20. A 2018 survey in France found that 64% of gay men do not plan to have children.
(Statista)
Further gay marriage statistics from a survey involving around 994 adult gay men in France found that only 7% of them intend on having kids within three years. Unfortunately, the head of the adoption service in northern France, Pascale Lemare, reported that homosexual couples are more likely to be left with children who are either “atypical” or ill.
21. Approximately 40% of American gay men and 34.5% of lesbians definitely do not want to have kids.
(Statista)
According to same sex marriage statistics in the United States, 29.9% of lesbians and 13% of gay men already have children. Also, the same stats show that 11.8% of lesbians and 8.5% of gay men want to have kids.
22. 76% of Polish survey respondents reject the possibility of granting gay couples the right to adopt kids.
(Statista)
A 2019 survey analyzing the opinions of Polish society about the demands of LGBT groups included around 1,100 respondents. 55% of the respondents didn’t support same-sex marriage, and 46% were repulsed by the idea of a same-sex partnership.
23. According to same sex marriage statistics, 52% of survey respondents in the United Kingdom generally approve of gay men adopting children.
(Statista)
The survey from 2015 analyzed the answers of 1,683 respondents and found that 32% generally disapprove of gay men becoming parents either through adoption or using surrogate mothers. Also, 16% claimed that they are unsure about how they feel about the matter.
Gay Marriage Facts
24. Countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Sudan punish gay people with the death penalty.
(DoSomething)
According to sources, different activities that could be labeled as “gay” are highly illegal in 71 countries. These countries operate under Sharia law, and some of the punishments include banishment or 100 lashes.
25. The number-one most dangerous place for members of the LGBT community is Nigeria.
(Forbes)
According to gay marriage facts, due to penalties including 14 years in prison and even death, Nigeria is the most dangerous country for this group. Also, the Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Act of 2013 in Nigeria has led to increasing rates of violence against the gay community.
26. The safest country for LGBT travelers is Sweden.
(Forbes)
Same-sex marriage was legalized in Sweden in 2009, and this country has organized more Pride festivals per capita than any other country in the world. In general, all Scandinavian countries are known for their liberal attitudes and friendly people.
27. Gay marriage statistics and facts reveal that the first Pride parade was held on June 28, 1970.
(Refinery29)
In 2019, Pride marked the 50th anniversary of the famous Stonewall Riots, commonly considered the starting point of the gay rights movement. The first parade was organized the following year, meaning that 2019’s Pride Parade was the 49th one in history. The Pride Parade started on Washington Place and moved up Sixth Avenue, finally ending in Central Park.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully these 27 gay marriage statistics opened your eyes to the realities of this modern matter. Even though there are millions who believe that homosexual marriages are wrong and that gay couples shouldn’t adopt, there are also many who believe the opposite—and the numbers supporting them are growing. Most importantly, everyone deserves to be loved and to love whomever they choose, no matter their sexuality. If you enjoyed this article, please leave a comment below with your thoughts!
