In the wake of the Supreme Court’s historic decision to legalize gay marriage in the United States, there was an enormous rush to tie the knot among gay couples. A study done by UCLA reveals that almost “50,000 of the 64,000 gay couples in the US got married” in the few short years that followed the legalization of gay marriage, which is an unprecedented number of marriages in one demographic of the population. But what about divorce? Has there been a similar rise in divorces among gay couples?

Legalization naturally leads to a rise in divorces among gay couples.

Well, let’s be real here – gay couples couldn’t get divorced before they were allowed to get married. So it stands to reason that with a sudden hike in gay marriage after the law changed, there would follow a sudden hike in gay divorce as well. Technically, even one gay couple getting divorced would have to be considered a rise in divorces among gay couples, since before that there were absolutely none. But the question we’re curious about here is whether or not divorces among gay couples is higher than divorces among straight couples.

Gay marriage is different from straight marriage in very significant ways

In a New York Times article entitled Gay Marriage: Same but Different, writer Tara Parker-Pope points out that gay marriages “tend to be more egalitarian, in part because same-sex couples don’t divide work along traditional gender lines.” It’s a very interesting concept and one that hadn’t been considered until recently. Think about it. Tradition male/female marriage has centuries of expectation attached to it. We are only now slowly being able to disentangle ourselves from the idea that domestic duties are “women’s work”, or that “men are the breadwinners.”

Shouldn’t gay marriages be happier and better because of that?

For gay couples, when both partners are men, the domestic duties will have to be done by a man, naturally. When both partners are women, it stands to reason that women will be the breadwinners in that household. But if gay couples are more modern in their approach to marriage, why would the divorce rates among same-sex couples be rising? According to some people, it’s the result of the sudden ‘permission’ that came with changing laws. A case of “now we can so we should” that led to hundreds of couples tying the knot because they were finally allowed to, bot because they actually wanted to spend the rest of their lives with this person. And if that’s the case, then only time will tell…

Regardless of gender, when it’s not working, it’s not working…

Regardless of your gender or your spouse’s gender, sometimes marriages just don’t work out. And when you decide you’re ready to end your marriage and move on here in Michigan, you’re going to need the help of a family law attorney with decades of experience. Here at The Kronzek Firm, our skilled and hardworking family law attorneys are ready and able to help you, no matter what your specific family law needs may be. If you have any questions about your rights as a gay couple, someone in our office is standing by to talk with you, answer your questions, and explain the intricacies of Michigan family law. Call us 24/7 at 866 766 5245 today.