Gay Marriage Facts

Here are some gay marriage facts:

The Netherlands was the first country to legalize gay marriage in 2001. There are now seven additional countries that allow for gay marriage to have the same rights as heterosexual marriage. These are the Netherlands (2001), Belgium (2003), Spain (2005), Canada (2005), South Africa (2006), Norway (2009) and Sweden (2009).

On average, 57 percent of gay marriages are between lesbians. Statistically, most gay newlyweds are older and better educated than their heterosexual counterparts. These are some very interesting facts!

American Statistics

In 2000, the US Census found that there were 601, 209 committed gay couples living in the country.

That same census found that there were between six and ten million children living in gay households that were considered stable.

It was found that 33 percent of lesbian couples have children compared to 20 percent of male couples in America.

Canadian Statistics

For the most part, Canadians are very accepting of same-sex unions. Over the past few years especially, it has become more acceptable within the culture. A 2006 Canadian census found that there were over 45,000 same-sex couples living together. Sixteen and a half percent of these were married. That same census showed that the majority of married gay couples were men.

In June 2005 the Canadian military announced its first same-sex marriage performed in Nova Scotia’s CFB in Greenwood.

Sixteen percent of female gay couples and three percent of male gay couples have children living in their household.