1
|
Bohr J, Lengerer A. Partnership Dynamics of LGB People and Heterosexuals: Patterns of First Partnership Formation and First Cohabitation. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF POPULATION = REVUE EUROPEENNE DE DEMOGRAPHIE 2024; 40:11. [PMID: 38502276 PMCID: PMC10951183 DOI: 10.1007/s10680-024-09697-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
In this study we examine partnership dynamics among people with different sexual orientations in Germany. More specifically, we explore the process of first partnership formation and first cohabitation among men and women who self-identify as heterosexual, homosexual or bisexual. Given the various discriminations against same-sex lifestyles, and the limited opportunities to meet potential partners, we assume that lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) people form partnerships later in life and less frequently than heterosexuals. We further expect that the constantly improving social and legal climate for sexual minorities will lead to a reduction in differences in partnership behaviour by sexual orientation. We use retrospectively reported partnership biographies from the German Socio-Economic Panel, which was supplemented in 2019 with a boost sample of sexual and gender minority households. Using discrete-time event history models, we analyse nearly 15,000 episodes of being single and nearly 20,000 episodes of living without a partner in the household. Around 4.5% of these episodes are from people who self-identify as LGB. The results clearly show that patterns of partnership and coresidential union formation differ by sexual orientation. People with a homosexual orientation-and to a lesser extent people with a bisexual orientation-are less likely to enter into a first partnership and a first cohabitation than people with a heterosexual orientation. Significant changes occur across cohorts: LGB people from younger birth cohorts enter (cohabiting) partnerships much earlier and more frequently than those from older cohorts. Thus, the union formation patterns of LGB and straight people have converged slightly.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jeanette Bohr
- GESIS - Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences, Square B6, 4-5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany.
| | - Andrea Lengerer
- GESIS - Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences, Square B6, 4-5, 68159, Mannheim, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Yu YL, Juster RP. Spousal Synchrony in Allostatic Load Among Older Couples in the Health and Retirement Study. Psychosom Med 2023; 85:716-726. [PMID: 37409786 DOI: 10.1097/psy.0000000000001232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Using national data from the Health and Retirement Study, this study examined interpartner associations of allostatic load (AL) among 2338 different-sex couples ( N = 4676 individuals) over a 4-year period among older American couples from a dyadic approach. METHODS AL was indexed by immune (C-reactive protein), metabolic (high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, total cholesterol, and glycosylated hemoglobin), renal (cystatin C), cardiovascular (systolic and diastolic blood pressures, pulse rate), and anthropometric (waist and body mass index) parameters using the traditional count-based formulation. Actor-partner interdependence models were used to assess interpartner concordance in AL. RESULTS Higher partners' baseline AL was significantly associated with higher own AL both at baseline and 4 years later. In addition, partners' baseline AL was significantly associated with own AL 4 years later only in women but not men. Lastly, we did not observe any significant moderating effect of relationship quality on interpartner AL concordance. CONCLUSIONS The findings suggest that older couples' physiological responses to environmental stress are not only linked concurrently, but the associations persist after 4 years, alluding to long-term impacts of couples' psychosocial context and physiology on each other.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yan-Liang Yu
- From the Department of Sociology and Criminology (Yu), Howard University, Washington, DC; Department of Psychiatry and Addiction (Juster), University of Montreal; and Center on Sex*Gender, Allostasis, and Resilience, Research Center of the Montreal (Juster), Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Canada
| | | |
Collapse
|
3
|
Fertility Intentions and Sexual Orientation: Evidence from the 2020 Youth Survey in Estonia. POPULATION RESEARCH AND POLICY REVIEW 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s11113-023-09773-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/19/2023]
Abstract
AbstractAttitudes towards sexual minorities have undergone a transformation in Western countries recently. This has led to an increase in research into the experiences of sexual minorities in a variety of life domains. Although parenthood is a valued life goal only a few small-scale studies have looked into the parenthood goals of individuals in relation to their sexual orientation. The aims of this study are to analyse the diversity of sexual orientation, the factors associated with it and the relationship to fertility intentions among adolescents aged 16 to 19. The study draws on a nationally representative youth survey conducted in 2020 in Estonia (N = 1624), and employs descriptive methods and logistic and linear regression models. The results show that adolescents in Estonia exhibit considerable diversity of sexual orientation, with one-fifth reporting some degree of attraction to their own sex. The minority sexual orientation is more frequent among groups which can be regarded as more open or exposed to new behaviours, but is also associated with a disadvantaged family background. The results reveal a clear negative association between the intended number of children and the minority sexual orientation, which is not explained by other available variables.
Collapse
|
4
|
Liu H, Hsieh N, Lai WH. Sexual Identity and Self-Rated Health in Midlife: Evidence from the Health and Retirement Study. Health Equity 2021; 5:587-595. [PMID: 34909525 PMCID: PMC8665797 DOI: 10.1089/heq.2021.0034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose: This study examined health disparities among U.S. sexual minority people in midlife—a critical life course stage that is largely overlooked in the sexual minority health literature. Methods: Data were drawn from the 2016 Health and Retirement Study. We restricted the analysis to respondents aged 50–65. The final sample consisted of 3623 respondents, including 3418 self-identified heterosexual individuals, 99 self-identified gay/lesbian individuals, 38 self-identified bisexual individuals, and 68 respondents who identified as “something else.” Ordinal logistic regression models were estimated to predict the odds of reporting better health. Results: Bisexual midlifers reported significantly worse health than their heterosexual counterparts after age, gender, and race-ethnicity are controlled for (OR=0.43, 95% CI=0.25–0.76); this health disparity is mostly explained by marital status, socioeconomic status, and health behaviors (in particular smoking and exercising). We did not find evidence of a self-rated health disadvantage among gay and lesbian midlifers relative to their heterosexual counterparts. Conclusion: These findings highlight the diversity of the sexual minority population in midlife. Public policies and programs should be designed and implemented at the interpersonal and institutional levels to eliminate health and other social disadvantages among sexual minority people, in particular bisexual people, in midlife.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hui Liu
- Department of Sociology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Ning Hsieh
- Department of Sociology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Wen-Hua Lai
- Department of Sociology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Oren L. Minority stress in same-gender male romantic relationships: When does it impact relationship commitment? PSYCHOLOGY & SEXUALITY 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/19419899.2021.1969994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lior Oren
- Department of Psychology and Behavioural Sciences, Ariel University, Ariel, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Kolk M, Andersson G. Two Decades of Same-Sex Marriage in Sweden: A Demographic Account of Developments in Marriage, Childbearing, and Divorce. Demography 2020; 57:147-169. [PMID: 31919806 PMCID: PMC7052034 DOI: 10.1007/s13524-019-00847-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
In this study, we provide demographic insight into the still relatively new family form of same-sex marriage. We focus on period trends in same-sex marriage formation and divorce during 1995–2012 in Sweden and the role of childbearing in same-sex unions. The period begins with the introduction of registered partnership for same-sex couples and also covers the introduction of formal same-sex marriage in 2009. We use register data for the complete population of Sweden to contrast patterns in male and female same-sex marriage formation and divorce. We show that female same-sex union formation increased rapidly over the period, while trends for male same-sex unions increased less. The introduction of same-sex marriage legislation in 2009 appears to have had little effect on the pace of formation of same-sex unions. In contrast, legal changes supporting parental rights in same-sex unions may have fueled the formation of female same-sex marriages as well as parenthood in such unions. Further, we show that divorce risks in the marital unions of two women are much higher than in other types of marriages. We find some convergence of divorce risks across union types at the end of our study period: male same-sex unions have the same divorce risk levels as opposite-sex marriages, and the elevated risks of divorce in female same-sex unions appear to have stabilized at somewhat lower levels than those observed in the late 1990s.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Martin Kolk
- Demography Unit, Department of Sociology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden. .,Stockholm University Center for Cultural Evolution, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden. .,Institute for Future Studies, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Gunnar Andersson
- Demography Unit, Department of Sociology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Campbell A, Perales F, Baxter J. Sexual Minority Women in Longitudinal Survey Research: Is Attrition a Problem? ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2020; 49:1443-1461. [PMID: 32270401 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-020-01669-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2019] [Revised: 02/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
As more longitudinal surveys collect information on sexual orientation, evaluating the quality of these data and understanding how sexual minorities engage with the survey process are increasingly important endeavors. This study constitutes the first systematic analysis of sexual orientation as a predictor of attrition from longitudinal surveys. Drawing upon the minority stress model, we developed testable hypotheses about how sexual identity and sexual identity change relate to panel attrition. These hypotheses were subsequently tested using data from two national cohorts of Australian women from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health (one born 1973-1978, n = 11,262, and one born 1989-1995, n = 16,689). In the older cohort, sexual minority women were more likely to attrit from the survey than exclusively heterosexual women-largely due to noncontact rather than noncooperation. The associations faded once sociodemographic and health-related covariates were included in the models. Further, higher rates of noncontact were observed among women who changed their sexual identity in a more same-sex-oriented direction, compared to women with a stable sexual identity. None of these associations were apparent in the younger cohort. Taken together, our results suggest that sexual minority status may be a risk factor for panel attrition among older but not younger cohorts of women and that improved efforts to locate and contact participants who are generally vulnerable could increase the retention of sexual minorities in longitudinal studies. Effect sizes were nevertheless small, suggesting that existing research on sexual orientation using longitudinal surveys is unlikely to be biased by non-random attrition of non-heterosexual individuals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alice Campbell
- Institute for Social Science Research, The University of Queensland, 80 Meiers Rd., Indooroopilly, QLD, 4068, Australia.
| | - Francisco Perales
- Institute for Social Science Research, The University of Queensland, 80 Meiers Rd., Indooroopilly, QLD, 4068, Australia
| | - Janeen Baxter
- Institute for Social Science Research, The University of Queensland, 80 Meiers Rd., Indooroopilly, QLD, 4068, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Abstract
This study examines and compares shared time for same-sex and different-sex coresident couples using large, nationally representative data from the 2003-2016 American Time Use Survey (ATUS). We compare the total time that same-sex couples and different-sex couples spend together; for parents, the time they spend together with children; and for both parents and nonparents, the time they spend together with no one else present and the time they spend with others (excluding children). After we control for demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of the couples, women in same-sex couples spend more time together, both alone and in total, than individuals in different-sex arrangements and men in same-sex couples, regardless of parenthood status. Women in same-sex relationships also spend a larger percentage of their total available time together than other couples, and the difference in time is not limited to any specific activity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katie R Genadek
- Institute of Behavioral Science, University of Colorado-Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA.
| | - Sarah M Flood
- Institute for Social Research and Data Innovation, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Joan Garcia Roman
- Centre d'Estudis Demogràfics, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Reczek C. Sexual- and Gender-Minority Families: A 2010 to 2020 Decade in Review. JOURNAL OF MARRIAGE AND THE FAMILY 2020; 82:300-325. [PMID: 33273747 PMCID: PMC7710266 DOI: 10.1111/jomf.12607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To review research on sexual and gender minority (SGM) families-including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, asexual, and intersex (LGBTQAI+) families- from 2010-2020. BACKGROUND Research on the SGM population has increased and diversified in the past decade. RESULTS This paper reviews three subareas that make up the majority of research on SGM families today: (1) SGM family of origin relationships, (2) SGM intimate relationships, and (3) SGM-parent families. This review also highlights three main gaps in the existing literature: (1) a focus on same-sex and gay and lesbian families (and to a lesser extent bisexual and transgender families) and a lack of attention to the families of single SGM people as well as intersex, asexual, queer, polyamorous, and other SGM families; (2) an emphasis on white, socioeconomically advantaged SGM people and a failure to account for the significant racial-ethnic and socioeconomic diversity in the SGM population; and (3) a lack of integration of SGM experiences across the life course, from childhood to old age. CONCLUSION The next decade should aim to examine the full range of SGM family ties, include more vigorous examinations of race-ethnicity and socioeconomic status, and develop more robust accounts of family across the life course with novel theory and data sources across the methodological spectrum.
Collapse
|
10
|
Smock PJ, Schwartz CR. The Demography of Families: A Review of Patterns and Change. JOURNAL OF MARRIAGE AND THE FAMILY 2020; 82:9-34. [PMID: 32612304 PMCID: PMC7329188 DOI: 10.1111/jomf.12612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2019] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
The authors review demographic trends and research on families in the United States, with a special focus on the past decade. They consider the following several topics: (a) marriage and remarriage, (b) divorce, (c) cohabitation, (d) fertility, (e) same-gender unions, (f) immigrant families, and (g) children's living arrangements. Throughout, the authors review both overall trends and patterns as well as those by social class and race-ethnicity. The authors discuss major strands of recent research, emphasizing emerging themes and promising directions. They close with a summary of central patterns and trends and conclude that recent trends are not as uniform as they tended to be in earlier decades, making the description of family change increasingly complex.
Collapse
|
11
|
Prince BF, Joyner K, Manning WD. Sexual Minorities, Social Context, and Union Formation. POPULATION RESEARCH AND POLICY REVIEW 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s11113-019-09528-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
|
12
|
Comparing same- and different-sex relationship dynamics: Experiences of young adults in Taiwan. DEMOGRAPHIC RESEARCH 2019; 40:431-462. [PMID: 32477002 DOI: 10.4054/demres.2019.40.17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Few studies of same-sex relationships are able to capture the dynamics of these relationships from formation to dissolution, and even fewer provide evidence on these dynamics in a non-Western context. OBJECTIVE Using retrospective relationship history data collected from a nationally representative sample of young adults, this study compares the processes of forming and terminating relationships between same- and different-sex couples in Taiwan, an Asian society featuring both strong parental influences on children's mate selection and an ongoing legislative effort to legalize same-sex marriage. RESULTS Results from event-history models show that factors associated with relationship formation and dissolution are largely similar for same- and different-sex unions and that same-sex relationships do not have higher dissolution rates. Nevertheless, premarital coresidence with parents, which is likely to amplify parental influences on children's mate selection, deters the entry into and accelerates the dissolution of same-sex relationships more than it does different-sex relationships. Moreover, same-sex relationships are more heterogamous in family economic background, but more homogamous in age and education level, than different-sex ones. CONTRIBUTION This study is among the first to provide evidence on the dynamics of same- and different-sex relationships in a non-Western context. Aside from a few differences between same- and different-sex relationships related to parental influences, our study provides strong evidence that same- and different-sex couples experience intimacies in similar ways-even in a relatively conservative cultural context like Taiwan.
Collapse
|