Study: Relationships of Legally Recognized G/L Couples Last Longer

NEW YORK CITY (Observer Update) - A study released Tuesday (August 26) shows that legalized same-sex couple relationships appear to be longer-lasting than those without a legal status, reported pageoneq.com.

Conducted by researchers from the University of Washington, San Diego State University and the University of Vermont, the study is the first to examine the experiences of couples in the five years since Vermont legalized civil unions. The results appear in the publication Developmental Psychology.

“There are many ways that a legal couple status may support a relationship - more family understanding, acceptance by friends and co-workers, greater commitment that results from a public declaration, and enhanced legal protections in the form of healthcare benefits and community property,” said Robert-Jay Green, executive director of the Rockway Institute, a national center for LGBT research, education and public policy at Alliant International University in San Francisco.

“The results of this first study on the topic suggest that same-sex partners who legalized their relationships in Vermont may have been more committed to each other or functioning better prior to obtaining a civil union or that civil union status itself is helping to preserve their relationships. Future research will help clarify whether various legal statuses actually increase the likelihood that lesbian and gay couples stay together,” said Green.