programs

publications

reading room

press

support us

UCLA’S WILLIAMS INSTITUTE RELEASES NEW STUDY ANALYZING DATA ON LGB LATINOS/LATINAS IN CALIFORNIA: 52,410 LATINOS/AS IN SAME-SEX COUPLES IN STATE RAISING MORE THAN 24,948 CHILDREN
 

Press Release
For Immediate Release

September 22, 2008

Media Contacts:
Christopher Ramos, 310.206.0883 (O) or 213.880.1843 (C), ramos@law.ucla.edu

LOS ANGELES - Today, the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law released a new research study providing demographic and economic information for the more than 200,000 LGB Latino/a individuals and 52,410 Latinos/as in same-sex couples living in California. California is home to the largest number of LGB Latino/a individuals. The study shows nearly 50% of Latinas and 44% of Latinos in same-sex couples in California are raising children - more than 24,900 children. The study also shows that same-sex couples raising children have fewer economic resources than their heterosexual, married counterparts.

KEY FINDINGS INCLUDE:

• There are approximately 200,000 lesbian, gay, and bisexual Latino/a adults living in California.

• At just over 12%, California is home to the largest percentage of the nation’s Latinos/as in same-sex couples.

• LGB Latinos/as have similar citizen rates as their heterosexual counterparts; however, LGB Latinos/as are more likely to be citizens by birth as opposed to naturalization, (51% versus 34%).

LATINOS/AS IN SAME-SEX HOUSEHOLDS ARE RAISING CHILDREN WITH FEWER ECONOMIC RESOURCES THAN THOSE IN MARRIED HOUSEHOLDS IN CALIFORNIA

• Same-sex parents have fewer financial resources to support their children than married parents. The median household income of same-sex couples with children is $35,000, or 30% lower than that of married parents ($50,200). The average household income of Latinos/as in same-sex couples with children is $49,385, significantly less than $63,017 for Latino/a married parents.

• While 36% of Latinos/as in same-sex couples with children own a home, a much larger percentage of Latino/a married parents (57%) own a home.

LGB LATINOS/AS ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN THE CALIFORNIA ECONOMY

• Latinos/as in same-sex couples in California are just as likely to be employed as are married Latinos/as: 67% of Latinos/as in same-sex couples and married different-sex couples are employed.

• Contrary to a popular stereotype, the annual earnings of men in same-sex couples are lower than married men. On average, Latinos in same-sex couples in California earn $37,078 each year, less than $39,286 for married Latinos. The median income of Latinos in same-sex couples in California is $25,100, less than that of married Latinos (32,000).

• Latinas in same-sex couples in California earn an average of $33,763 per year (with a median of $28,000), more than married Latinas, whose earnings average $25,591 (with a median of $20,000). Latinas in same-sex couples earn, on average, less than married Latinos as well as Latinos in same-sex couples in California.

The full report is available at http://www.law.ucla.edu/WilliamsInstitute/home.html.