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UCLA’S WILLIAMS INSTITUTE RELEASES NEW STUDY ANALYZING CENSUS DATA ON SAME-SEX COUPLES IN MISSISSIPPI:  ALMOST 4,800 COUPLES LIVE THROUGHOUT STATE; RAISING MORE THAN 2,800 CHILDREN
 

Press Release
For Immediate Release

December 20, 2007

Media Contacts:
Adam Romero (310)206-0725/romero@law.ucla.edu

Gary Gates (310)825-1868/gates@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 almost 4,800 same-sex couples in Mississippi.  The study shows that 35% of the same-sex couples in Mississippi are raising more than 2,800 children.  The study also shows that same-sex couples raising children have fewer economic resources and own homes at a significantly lower rate than their heterosexual, married counterparts.

The full report may be found at:

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

KEY FINDINGS INCLUDE:

• In 2000, there were 4,774 same-sex couples living in Mississippi.
• In 2005, there were almost 49,000 gay, lesbian, and bisexual people (single and coupled) living in Mississippi.
• Same-sex couples live in every county in Mississippi, constituting 0.8% of coupled households and 0.5% of all households in the State. Hinds County reported the most same-sex couples with 441 couples (0.48% of all households in the county), followed by Harrison County with 352 couples (0.49%), Rankin County with 204 couples (0.48%), and Jackson County with 183 couples (0.38%). The counties with the highest percentage of same-sex couples are Tallahatchie County (0.82% of all county households), Marshall County (0.74%), Hancock County (0.70%), and Issaquena County (0.69%).

• Mississippi’s same-sex couples are as racially and ethnically diverse as their different-sex married counterparts: 57% of same-sex couples are nonwhite, compared to 63% of married couples.
• Despite the military’s historic policies of excluding gay men and lesbians from service, individuals in same-sex couples have served in the military: 12% of individuals in same-sex couples are veterans.

SAME-SEX HOUSEHOLDS RAISING CHILDREN HAVE FEWER ECONOMIC RESOURCES THAN MARRIED HOUSEHOLDS IN MISSISSIPPI

• 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 $30,600, 36% lower than that of married parents ($48,000). The average household income of same-sex couples with children is $36,153, significantly less than $58,033 for married parents.
• While 62% of same-sex couples with children own a home, a much larger percentage of married parents (82%) own a home.

SAME-SEX COUPLES ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN THE MISSISSIPPI ECONOMY

• Individuals in same-sex couples in Mississippi are about as likely to be employed as are married individuals: 57% of individuals in same-sex couples are employed, compared to 63% of married individuals.
• Contrary to a popular stereotype, the annual earnings of men in same-sex couples are significantly lower than married men. On average, men in same-sex couples in Mississippi earn $24,481 each year, significantly less than $39,473 for married men. The median income of men in same-sex couples in Mississippi is $20,000, or 35% less than that of married men ($30,700)
• Women in same-sex couples in Mississippi earn an average of $21,781 per year (with a median of $16,000), slightly more than married women, whose earnings average $21,317 (with a median of $18,000). Women in same-sex couples earn, on average, less than both married men and men in same-sex couples in Mississippi.

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