Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage Matters for the Subjective Well-being of Individuals in Same-Sex Unions

• DOI: 10.1007/s13524-019-00822-1
• Publication Date: 2019-11-06T20:02:47Z
• Authors: Diederik Boertien; Daniele Vignoli
• Keywords: Adult; Male; Wales; Homosexuality; Middle Aged; Same-sex couples; subjective well-being; UK; Subjective well-being; 03 medical and health sciences; Cross-Sectional Studies; England; Surveys and Questionnaires; Humans; Female; Structural stigma; Marriage; 0305 other medical science; 10. No inequality; Same-sex couples

Abstract We investigate whether the subjective well-being of individuals in same-sex unions improved following the legalization of same-sex marriage in England and Wales in March 2014. We employ repeated cross-sectional data from the 2011–2016 Annual Population Surveys on 476,411 persons, including 4,112 individuals in coresidential same-sex relationships. The analysis reveals increases in subjective well-being for individuals in same-sex relationships following legalization. Additional analysis documents higher subjective well-being for individuals in married same-sex couples compared with individuals who are in a civil partnership or an informal cohabiting same-sex union. However, the subjective well-being of individuals from same-sex couples increased after legalization among all subgroups considered, including those who cohabited informally. This result hints at a general reduction in structural stigma as an important mechanism behind the improved well-being of individuals in same-sex unions.