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UCLA’S WILLIAMS INSTITUTE RELEASES NEW STUDY ANALYZING CENSUS DATA ON SAME-SEX COUPLES IN WASHINGTON, D.C.:  ALMOST 4,000 COUPLES LIVE THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT; RAISING OVER 400 CHILDREN
 

Press Release
For Immediate Release

November 30, 2007

Media Contact:
Syd Peterson, 917.621.6411, syd@rennacommunications.com
Cathy Renna, 917.757.6123, cathy@rennacommunications.com

LOS ANGELES - Today, the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law released a new research study providing demographic and economic information for the almost 4,000 same-sex couples in Washington, D.C.  The study shows that 8% of the same-sex couples in the District are raising an estimated 441 children.  The study also shows that, on average, 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/WashingtonDCCensusSnapshot.pdf

KEY FINDINGS INCLUDE:

• In 2000, there were 3,678 same-sex couples living in the District.
• There are close to 33,000 gay, lesbian, and bisexual people (single and coupled) currently living in the District.

• Same-sex couples live in every area of the District, constituting 1.5% of all households and 5.1% of all coupled households.
• The District’s same-sex couples are racially and ethnically diverse: 33% of same-sex couples are nonwhite. Specifically, 26% of same-sex couples are Black, 4% Hispanic, 1% Asian, and 2% identify as other nonwhite.
• 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: 8% of individuals in same-sex couples are veterans, compared to 15% of married individuals.

WASHINGTON, D.C. SAME-SEX HOUSEHOLDS RAISING CHILDREN HAVE, ON AVERAGE, FEWER ECONOMIC RESOURCES THAN MARRIED HOUSEHOLDS

• Same-sex parents have, on average, fewer financial resources to support their children than married parents.  The average household income of same-sex couples with children in the District is $99,285, less than $115,408 for married parents.
• While 51% of same-sex couples with children in the District own their home, a larger percentage of married parents (59%) own their home.

SAME-SEX COUPLES ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN THE DISTRICT’S ECONOMY

• Individuals in same-sex couples in the District are more likely to be employed than are married individuals: 84% 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 lower than married men. On average, men in same-sex couples in the District earn $67,202 each year, less than the $69,539 for married men. The median income of men in same-sex couples in the District is $52,000, more than that of married men ($41,000). 
• Women in same-sex couples in the District earn an average of $42,576 per year (with a median of $31,200), less than married women, whose earnings average $44,586 (with a median of $32,000). Women in same-sex couples earn less than married men as well as men in same-sex couples.

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