New
data from the U.S. Census show a roughly 50 percent increase in the
number of same-sex couples between 2000 and 2010. For the first time
ever, statistics were kept for people living in the same household of
the same gender who reported that they were either a married or
unmarried couple.
In
addition to the overall numbers, some of the steepest increases
occurred in areas that are traditionally considered to be especially
infested with anti-LGBT bigotry. Iowa, for example, saw a 77 percent
increase in same-sex partnerships while the census reported that
“family makeup is changing” in South Carolina.
These
new statistics reflect major gains for LGBT people. Prior to the
emergence of a mass movement for equality, almost all same-sex
couples were forced to hide their relationships. This pressure,
however, lessens as more and more gains are won through struggle. All
supporters of LGBT equality should celebrate these new data and the
advances they represent.
