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UCLA’S WILLIAMS INSTITUTE RELEASES NEW STUDY ANALYZING CENSUS DATA ON SAME-SEX COUPLES IN RHODE ISLAND:  OVER 2,471 COUPLES LIVE THROUGHOUT STATE; RAISING OVER 7% OF ADOPTED CHILDREN
 

Press Release
For Immediate Release

September 26, 2007

Media Contact:
Gary J. Gates (310) 825-1868
gates@law.ucla.edu

LOS ANGELES - Just days before the one-year anniversary of the decision allowing Rhode Island residents to marry in Massachusetts, the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law released a new research study providing demographic and economic information for the over 2,471 same-sex couples in Rhode Island. The study shows that there are 27,000 gay, lesbian and bisexual people living in the state. The study also shows that same-sex couples with children have fewer economic resources than their heterosexual, married counterparts.

The full report may be found at:

http://www.law.ucla.edu/williamsinstitute/publications/RhodeIslandCensusSnapshot.pdf

KEY FINDINGS INCLUDE:

• In 2000, there were 2471 same-sex couples living in Rhode Island.
• There are more than 27,000 gay, lesbian, and bisexual people (single and coupled) currently living in Rhode Island.
• Same-sex couples live in every county in Rhode Island.  In 2000, Providence County reported the most couples at 1,600 (0.7% of households), followed by Kent County with 347 same-sex couples (0.5%), and Washington County with 242 same-sex couples (0.5%).
• Despite the military’s historic policies of excluding gay men and lesbians from service, individuals in same-sex couples have served in the military, albeit at lower rates than married individuals: 10% of individuals in same-sex couples in Rhode Island are veterans, compared to 17% of married individuals.
• Approximately 7% of adopted children in Rhode Island live with a gay or lesbian parent.

RHODE ISLAND SAME-SEX HOUSEHOLDS RAISING CHILDREN HAVE FEWER ECONOMIC RESOURCES THAN MARRIED HOUSEHOLDS

• 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 $51,000, or 20% lower than that of married parents ($64,000). The average household income of same-sex couples with children is $49,634, significantly less than $77,948 for married parents.
• While only 40% of same-sex couples with children own a home, 77% of married parents own a home.

SAME-SEX COUPLES ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN THE RHODE ISLAND ECONOMY

• Individuals in same-sex couples in Rhode Island are significantly more likely to be employed than married individuals: 81% of same-sex coupled individuals, compared to 67% of married individuals, are employed.
• Contrary to a popular stereotype, men in same-sex couples do not have higher incomes than married men.  On average, men in same-sex couples in Rhode Island earn $37,358, compared to $48,769 for married men.  The median income of individuals in male same-sex couples in Rhode Island is $30,000, compared to $39,400 for married men.
• Women in same-sex couples earn an average of $30,695 per year (with a median of $29,000), more than married women, whose earnings average $26,443 (median of $22,200).  Women in same-sex couples still earn less than men.