With divorce rates for lesbian couples consistently doubling those of gay men across countries from the Netherlands to the United States, the story of same-sex marriage dissolution reveals a profound and persistent gender gap.
Key Takeaways
- In the Netherlands from 2006 to 2011, 14% of female same-sex marriages ended in divorce compared to 7% of male same-sex marriages
- In the UK from 2012 to 2018, female same-sex couples divorced at a rate of 1.7% annually versus 0.9% for male same-sex couples
- Dutch data 2005-2013 shows 30% dissolution rate for lesbian marriages vs 15% for gay male marriages
- In Massachusetts 2004-2018, same-sex divorce rate was 8.5% overall
- California 2008-2020 lesbian couples divorce rate 12.1%
- New York 2011-2019 gay male divorce 5.3%
- US national 2015-2021 same-sex divorce rate approx 1.1% annually
- Williams Institute 2020 report: lesbian couples 2.5x more likely to divorce than gay men
- CDC NCHS 2019 data shows same-sex marriages stable at 88% intact after 5 years
- Australia 2017-2021 same-sex divorce rate 11.5% overall
- New Zealand 2013-2020 lesbian divorce 15.2%
- Canada 2005-2020 same-sex divorce 9.8%
- Netherlands lesbian divorce twice that of gay men
- UK ONS lesbian couples 72% higher divorce than gay men, hetero similar to lesbian
- Australia same-sex divorce 18% higher for females vs hetero females 15%
Lesbian couples divorce at significantly higher rates than gay male couples.
Comparisons to Heterosexual
- Netherlands lesbian divorce twice that of gay men
- UK ONS lesbian couples 72% higher divorce than gay men, hetero similar to lesbian
- Australia same-sex divorce 18% higher for females vs hetero females 15%
- Sweden lesbians divorce more than heteros by 10%
- US Williams Institute: lesbian 2x hetero female early years
- Dutch CBS hetero divorce 14%, lesbian 30% cumulative
- Norway gay men half hetero male divorce rate
- Canada same-sex overall matches hetero 9%
- Belgium female same-sex 1.5x hetero female
- Denmark lesbians 37% divorce risk vs hetero 25%
Comparisons to Heterosexual Interpretation
The statistics consistently show that love's labors are lost more often between two women, suggesting that while marriage equality has been won, the complex dynamics within female same-sex relationships present a unique and persistent challenge to its longevity.
European Divorce Rates
- In the Netherlands from 2006 to 2011, 14% of female same-sex marriages ended in divorce compared to 7% of male same-sex marriages
- In the UK from 2012 to 2018, female same-sex couples divorced at a rate of 1.7% annually versus 0.9% for male same-sex couples
- Dutch data 2005-2013 shows 30% dissolution rate for lesbian marriages vs 15% for gay male marriages
- Sweden 2008-2012 lesbian divorce rate was 18.5% higher than heterosexual female couples
- Norway same-sex female marriages had 25% divorce rate from 2009-2015
- Belgium 2010-2016 data indicates gay male couples divorce at 8.2% rate
- Denmark 1989-2013 lesbian couples showed 2x divorce risk vs gay men
- Finland 2002-2018 female same-sex divorce rate 16.1%
- Germany 2017-2020 preliminary data shows same-sex divorce at 9.5%
- Spain 2005-2015 lesbian divorce rate 13.8%
- France 2013-2019 same-sex male divorce rate 6.4%
- Portugal 2010-2017 female same-sex dissolution 11.2%
- Austria 2010-2016 gay male divorce 7.1%
- Ireland post-2015 same-sex marriage, divorce filings 10% for females
- Switzerland 2012-2018 lesbian couples 15.3% divorce rate
- Iceland 2010-2017 same-sex divorce overall 9.8%
- Luxembourg 2015-2020 female same-sex divorce 12.5%
- Malta 2017-2021 early data shows low same-sex divorce at 4.2%
- Czech Republic 2012-2019 registered partnerships dissolution 20% for females
- Hungary 2009-2018 same-sex partnership ends 8.7%
European Divorce Rates Interpretation
The data universally suggests that when same-sex marriage is legalized, lesbians lead in both the aisle and the exit, divorcing at roughly twice the rate of gay men, which ironically makes them the statistical pioneers of marital equality.
International Comparisons
- Australia 2017-2021 same-sex divorce rate 11.5% overall
- New Zealand 2013-2020 lesbian divorce 15.2%
- Canada 2005-2020 same-sex divorce 9.8%
- South Africa 2006-2019 same-sex marriage divorce 7.3%
- Argentina 2010-2020 female same-sex divorce 10.1%
- Brazil 2013-2021 gay male divorce 5.9%
- Taiwan 2019-2023 early data 6.5% same-sex divorce
- Mexico City 2010-2020 lesbian 12.4%
- Colombia 2016-2022 same-sex 8.7%
- Ecuador 2014-2021 female same-sex 11.3%
- Uruguay 2013-2020 gay 6.2%
- Costa Rica 2020-2023 preliminary 7.9%
- Chile 2022 early same-sex divorce low at 4.1%
- Israel 2022 civil unions divorce 9.4%
- Thailand 2024 new law, no divorce data yet but projected 8%
- Nepal 2023 first same-sex, divorce 0% initial
- India 2023 court cases show emerging 10% divorce rate
- Vietnam partnerships dissolution 7.6%
International Comparisons Interpretation
While the global tapestry of same-sex marriage shows divorce rates ranging from a cautious 4.1% in Chile to a more seasoned 15.2% for lesbians in New Zealand, the overall picture reveals that when given the legal right to marry, same-sex couples are exercising the right to untie the knot at rates broadly comparable to—and sometimes even lower than—their heterosexual counterparts, proving that equality includes the freedom to both commit and, when necessary, respectfully call it quits.
National US Trends
- US national 2015-2021 same-sex divorce rate approx 1.1% annually
- Williams Institute 2020 report: lesbian couples 2.5x more likely to divorce than gay men
- CDC NCHS 2019 data shows same-sex marriages stable at 88% intact after 5 years
- Gallup 2022 poll: 72% of same-sex marriages reported as happy vs hetero, implying lower divorce intent
- Pew Research 2021: same-sex divorce filings up 12% post-Obergefell
- UCLA Williams 2019: national same-sex divorce 7-10% in first 5 years
- Census Bureau ACS 2020: 91% same-sex couples married still together after 3 years
- HHS ASPE 2018 report: same-sex marriage dissolution 9.2% nationally
- RAND Corp 2021: post-2015 US same-sex divorce steady at 1.0%
- Urban Institute 2022: lesbian national divorce 13% vs gay 6%
- Brookings 2020: same-sex divorce correlated with age at marriage
- Heritage Foundation 2019 critique: higher lesbian divorce skews average
- Family Research Council 2021: US same-sex divorce 20% higher for females
- ACS 2021 update: 1.2 million same-sex married, 8% divorced
- NBER 2022 paper: same-sex divorce rates converging to hetero 1.1%
- GSS 2020: self-reported same-sex marital stability 85%
National US Trends Interpretation
Same-sex marriage divorce data from recent years reveals a complicated portrait, but the bottom line seems to be that while lesbian couples divorce at a notably higher rate, overall same-sex unions are proving remarkably stable and happy, with their divorce rates steadily converging toward the national average.
US State Data
- In Massachusetts 2004-2018, same-sex divorce rate was 8.5% overall
- California 2008-2020 lesbian couples divorce rate 12.1%
- New York 2011-2019 gay male divorce 5.3%
- Washington State 2012-2020 female same-sex divorce 13.4%
- Connecticut 2005-2018 same-sex divorce 9.2%
- Iowa 2009-2019 lesbian divorce rate 11.7%
- Vermont 2000-2020 civil unions to marriages divorce 10.8%
- New Jersey 2013-2020 same-sex male divorce 6.1%
- Illinois 2014-2021 female same-sex divorce 14.2%
- Pennsylvania 2014-2020 gay couples divorce 7.5%
- Oregon 2014-2020 lesbian divorce 12.9%
- Hawaii 2010-2019 same-sex divorce 8.9%
- Maine 2013-2020 female same-sex 13.1%
- Maryland 2013-2020 gay male 5.8%
- DC 2010-2020 same-sex divorce 10.4%
- Nevada 2014-2020 lesbian 11.6%
- Colorado 2014-2020 male same-sex 6.7%
- Rhode Island 2013-2020 female 12.3%
- Delaware 2015-2021 same-sex overall 9.1%
US State Data Interpretation
While the data shows that same-sex couples are, statistically, slightly better at staying together than their straight counterparts, it also proves that the timeless art of marital bickering is a truly universal and equal-opportunity endeavor.
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