My Big Fat Gay Wedding
Demo Dirt
by Galia Myron
June 25, 2009

Same-sex weddings, creative class, boost New England economy.

As Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine have joined Massachusetts in legalizing same-sex marriage, these states have or are poised to enjoy a slight boost in this difficult economy, say UCLA researchers who examined the link between same-sex marriage and economic trends.

Since the first same-sex marriage was legalized in Massachusetts five years ago, local businesses have enjoyed increased profits, and New England has attracted members of the “creative class,” young, talented, highly educated professionals—both heterosexual and homosexual—who wish to live in a tolerant area that celebrates diversity.

While the creative class consists of artists and musicians, it also includes many of the high tech professions, says UCLA’s Gary Gates, PhD, top expert on the demography and geography of the gay and lesbian population. The creative class, he explains, also includes computer engineers, computer scientists, and finance professionals. “These are occupations that involve some level of creative primary input,” he says. “It includes a fairly wide swath of about one-third of the workforce.”

Citing the creative class argument by urban studies theorist and author Richard Florida, Gates says that areas that enact gay-friendly policies are also attractive to anyone—homosexual or not—that values tolerance and diversity. “Florida’s argument is that gay-friendly policies are a signal to the straight population that it is an open and accepting society,” he explains. “These policies are the canary in the coal mine; if you have tattoos or speak a different language, or if you are of a different race, you know that this is a welcoming environment.”

However, the primary reason for this economic boost is the lucrative wedding business, Gates says. A recent survey shows that the average gay or lesbian couple spent about $7,400 on their wedding, with one in ten same sex couples spending more than $20,000. This means that local businesses and services, including florists, caterers, photographers, musicians, tuxedo and gown professionals, and hotels have all enjoyed a spike in profits due to the proliferation of same-sex ceremonies since legalization went into effect.

While a boost in the economy would not automatically encourage increased tolerance of same-sex marriage, the increased business interaction would provide some opportunity for acceptance. “There is lots of evidence that personal contact with LGBT people generally makes people more comfortable and more accepting,” Gates tells demo dirt. “Increased visibility would be likely a big factor, and people become more visible with marriage; it is a highly visible event.”

Attitudes do change, or at least relax, with exposure to diversity. When same-sex marriage rights were passed in Massachusetts, “there was a lot of ruckus,” Gates says, which has since subsided. “It appears as if today, there is not much outcry anymore about marriage equality,” he adds. “It doesn’t mean that an increasing number of people support marriage equality, but they are not particularly concerned about it. It is certainly obvious that some of the dire predictions [that opponents of marriage equality had voiced] have not come to pass.”

If same-sex marriages and the expensive weddings that come with them provide a boost to many local businesses, and to a lesser extent, attract a young, vibrant creative class, what could this mean for the economy of states that don’t allow same-sex marriage? Would they suffer an opposite effect? For example, when same-sex marriage was first legalized in California, citizens looked forward to a wedding windfall.

During a May, 2008 visit to San Francisco, even the Governor expressed hopes for a nuptial-inspired uptick in the economy. “I hope that California's economy is booming because everyone is going to come here and get married," Schwarzenegger said at the time.

Since that time, same-sex marriage rights have been banned, due to passage of the controversial Proposition 8 the following November. The economic result, Gates says, is that millions of dollars that would have been generated due to the same-sex wedding industry has been halted.

Despite this setback for marriage equality, the Census Bureau has announced a big step in its census-taking procedures, which could mean progress in the gay and lesbian rights movement. “The Census Bureau has changed its policy in terms of how it will count same-sex couples,” Gates says. “In the past, they counted same-sex partners as ‘unmarried partners,’ but in the 2010 Census, anyone who says they have a spouse, will have that counted as a spouse.”

This move, which is a reversal of the Bush Administration policy, has garnered praise from The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. “This is a huge win for our community. Our community and allies stood up and refused to allow same-sex marriages, our families and our children to be rendered invisible in the picture of our country provided through the census,” Rea Carey, Executive Director of the Task Force, said in a public statement.

"After months and months of pressure through the grassroots campaign we waged and our in-person meetings with administration officials, the U.S. Census Bureau has reversed policy and will be accurately counting the thousands of same-sex couples who have worked so hard to have their love and commitment recognized,” Carey added.

Carey also publicly thanked Gates for his dedication and help in educating the administration on the issue. Next >