Matching, marriage, and children: differences across sexual orientations

Abstract

There are many differences in behavior across couples of different sexual orientations-some well known, others not. We propose a model which explains differences in expected matching behavior, marriage rates, nonchild-friendly activities, and fertility, based on different costs of procreation and complementarities between marriage and children. The model predicts that the biological traits of same-sex couples, unlike those of heterosexual couples, should not be correlated-holding constant other household production characteristics. In addition, the model predicts that heterosexuals have a higher probability of having children and getting married, and that childless heterosexuals are less likely to engage in behaviors not complementary with children than childless gays and lesbians. Using two nationally representative probability samples that self-identify sexual orientation, these predictions are confirmed.

Household Production and Sexual Orientation

“… Allen and Lu (), using the Canadian Community Health Survey that directly identifies sexual orientation, find a population estimate of 80,209 lesbians and 143,038 gay men in Canada. This amounts to .83% of the population and does not include bisexuals.…”

“… Allen and Lu () investigate several behaviors (drug use, smoking, sexual behavior, and sorting) across different sexual orientations using the Canadian Community Health Survey, and they also find the presence of children in same‐sex households makes an enormous difference in behavior, but not for opposite‐sex households. …”

“… Allen and Lu () find large differences in the way gay couples with children behave compared to gay couples without children, with respect to drug use, smoking, and sexual behavior. This difference is much smaller for heterosexual couples, with or without children. …”

Marriage Equality Laws and Youth Mental Health

“…Carpenter et al (2018) find that access to SSM is associated with increases in the probability of marriage for individuals residing in households with a same-sex partner Allen and Lu (2017). develop a model, and test it with nationally representative data from Canada, that explains differences across sexual orientations in expected matching behavior, marriage rates, non-child-friendly activities, and fertility, based on differences in the costs of procreation and complementarities between marriage and children.10 Evidence on spillover effects of SSM laws to heterosexual couples is inconclusive.Langbein and Yost (2009, p. 292) argue that SSM laws have not had an "adverse impact" on social outcomes typically related to "traditional family values" (i.e., marriage, divorce, and abortion rates, the proportion of children born to single women, and the percent of children in female-headed households).…”