With same-sex couples tying the knot this week in Alaska, Arizona, and Wyoming, it’s time to look at the numbers once again. How many children in these states could be impacted?
According to estimates from UCLA’s Williams Institute:
- Alaska has nearly 1,230 cohabiting same-sex couples raising more than 560 children in their homes.
- Arizona nearly 16,000 cohabiting same-sex couples raising more than 5,060 children in their homes.
- Wyoming more than 650 cohabiting same-sex couples raising more than 320 children in their homes.
That yields a total of 5,940 children who now live in states where their parents can marry. As I’ve said before, that doesn’t mean the parents will marry — but knowing that they could, just like any other couple, could have a big impact on their children’s sense of self-worth.
The numbers above also don’t take into account children being raised by single parents in the state who might someday start a same-sex relationship and marry.
It bears remembering, however, that Wyoming does not provide employment nondiscrimination protections based on sexual orientation. Some same-sex couples that would otherwise marry now may choose not to, in order to remain closeted at work and retain their jobs and their family’s livelihood.
Let’s celebrate our progress, then, but remember we still have a ways to go.