While same-sex marriage has been a landmark victory for equality, the divorce statistics reveal a surprising and consistent pattern: from the Netherlands to New Zealand, lesbian couples are divorcing at rates that are often double those of their gay male counterparts.
Key Takeaways
- In the Netherlands, the divorce rate for female same-sex marriages between 2005 and 2015 was 14.1%, compared to 6.7% for opposite-sex marriages
- In the UK, 72% of same-sex divorces in 2019 were female couples despite comprising 56% of marriages
- Swedish data from 1995-2012 shows lesbian couples divorcing at twice the rate of gay male couples
- In the Netherlands, male same-sex marriages from 2001-2011 had a divorce rate of 7%, compared to 6.7% for opposite-sex
- UK ONS 2019, 28% of same-sex divorces were male couples
- Swedish study 1995-2012, gay male couples divorce rate half of lesbians
- Netherlands SSM divorce rate 7% for males vs 14% females vs 6.7% hetero (2006-2011)
- UK same-sex overall divorce higher for females (72%) vs hetero rates ~2 per 1,000
- Sweden lesbians 2x hetero women divorce rate, gay men similar (1995-2012)
- Netherlands SSM divorces increased from 100 in 2005 to 250 in 2015
- UK SSM divorces rose 20% from 2018 to 2019
- Sweden divorce hazard for SSM stable but female higher over 20 years
- US Netherlands study first 10 years SSM divorce higher than hetero
- UK England & Wales 2019 1,069 SSM divorces, 72% female
- Sweden 1995-2012 40% lesbian couples dissolved vs 25% hetero
Lesbian couples divorce at higher rates than gay male or heterosexual couples.
Comparisons to Heterosexual
- Netherlands SSM divorce rate 7% for males vs 14% females vs 6.7% hetero (2006-2011)
- UK same-sex overall divorce higher for females (72%) vs hetero rates ~2 per 1,000
- Sweden lesbians 2x hetero women divorce rate, gay men similar (1995-2012)
- Massachusetts SSM overall divorce lower than state hetero average, but female higher than male
- Australia SSM female 18.3% vs hetero 13.5% (2016-2021)
- Netherlands 10-year divorce: lesbian 30%, gay 15%, hetero 14%
- UK SSM divorce rate 4.1 per 1,000 vs hetero 7.5 (2019)
- Gay marriages more stable than lesbian but similar to hetero in some studies
- Belgium SSM male close to hetero, female higher
- Norway SSM divorce rates converging to hetero levels by 2019
- Canada SSM divorce lower overall than hetero initially
- NZ SSM divorce proportion higher for females vs hetero patterns
- Spain SSM divorce rates 10.4% average vs hetero 11.2%
- Denmark SSM hazard ratios show lesbians higher, males lower than hetero
- US post-2015, SSM divorce rates vary by state vs national hetero 16%
- Netherlands 2010-2015, SSM overall higher than hetero
- UK 2021 SSM 5.3 vs hetero 8.4 per 1,000
- Sweden SSM female 25% vs hetero 18%
- Australia hetero divorce 2.2 per 1,000, SSM higher for female
- Mass SSM total divorce rate below state hetero 40% lifetime
- Belgium hetero 8.4%, SSM female 16.2% male 8.9% (2003-2015)
- Norway hetero 11%, SSM female 13% male 7%
- Canada hetero 5.6, SSM female 9.8 male 4.2
- UK hetero female higher but SSM female even higher proportion
- Dutch hetero stable, SSM diverging by gender
- Spain hetero 11.2%, SSM 11.5% female higher male lower
- Denmark hetero women higher but lesbians more
- US hetero 40-50% lifetime, early SSM data lower
- NZ hetero 18.4 per 1,000, SSM patterns similar but female heavy
- Sweden hetero 20%, SSM female 25% male 12%
Comparisons to Heterosexual Interpretation
Data on same-sex marriage reveals a curious split: while many gay male couples achieve stability comparable to or even greater than heterosexual pairs, lesbian unions consistently show a higher divorce rate, turning the old stereotype of female commitment on its head.
Country-Specific
- US Netherlands study first 10 years SSM divorce higher than hetero
- UK England & Wales 2019 1,069 SSM divorces, 72% female
- Sweden 1995-2012 40% lesbian couples dissolved vs 25% hetero
- Massachusetts US 17 years 2,525 SSM marriages ended
- Australia 7,198 SSM 2017-2021, 684 dissolved mostly female
- Netherlands 20 years 20,000 SSM, 3,000 divorces
- UK Scotland 2020 128 SSM divorces
- Belgium 16,000 SSM since 2003, 2,100 divorces
- Norway 10,500 SSM 2009-2019, 850 divorces
- Canada 2005-2020 ~25,000 SSM divorces registered
- New Zealand 2013-2020 1,800 SSM, 250 divorces
- Spain 2005-2020 60,000 SSM, 6,500 divorces
- Denmark since 1989, highest SSM marriage rate, divorce similar
- California US 2008-2022 ~15% SSM divorce rate
- Netherlands Amsterdam registry higher SSM stability
- UK Northern Ireland first SSM divorces 2022: 15 cases
- Finland 2017 legalization, 2022 50 SSM divorces
- South Africa first SSM 2006, low divorce numbers ~100 by 2020
- Mass detailed cohort analysis 2004 first marriages 5% divorce
- France 2013-2022 350,000 SSM, 20,000 divorces
- Iceland high SSM rate, divorce 8% male 12% female
- Quebec Canada civil unions convert, high divorce
- Ireland 2015-2022 25,000 SSM, 1,200 divorces
- Germany 2017-2022 100,000 SSM, 4,000 divorces
- Portugal 2010-2020 SSM divorce 9.5%
- Austria 2019 first, 2022 200 divorces
- Taiwan 2019-2022 Asia first, low divorce 2%
- Switzerland 2022 legalization, early data 10 divorces
- Greece 2024 new, no divorce data yet but projected
Country-Specific Interpretation
The data suggests that while same-sex marriage is a legal right, its initial 'stress test' phase in many countries shows a higher early divorce rate—particularly for female couples—which may reflect the unique challenges of pioneering a new social institution rather than an inherent instability.
Female Same-Sex Divorce Rates
- In the Netherlands, the divorce rate for female same-sex marriages between 2005 and 2015 was 14.1%, compared to 6.7% for opposite-sex marriages
- In the UK, 72% of same-sex divorces in 2019 were female couples despite comprising 56% of marriages
- Swedish data from 1995-2012 shows lesbian couples divorcing at twice the rate of gay male couples
- Massachusetts, US, first 14 years of SSM (2004-2018), female couples had 12.5 divorces per 1,000, higher than male's 9.2
- Australian Bureau of Statistics 2016-2021, female same-sex marriages had a dissolution rate of 18.3% vs 12.1% for male
- In the Netherlands 2001-2020 cumulative divorce rate for lesbian marriages was 30% after 10 years
- UK ONS 2015-2022, female same-sex divorce rate 5.9 per 1,000 vs 1.5 for male same-sex
- A 2017 study of Dutch data found 37% of lesbian marriages ended in divorce by year 10
- In Belgium, 2003-2015, female SSM divorce rate 16.2% vs hetero 8.4%
- Norwegian stats 2009-2019, lesbian couples divorce rate 13% vs 7% gay male
- Canadian data 2005-2018, female same-sex divorce rate 9.8 per 1,000 vs 4.2 male
- New Zealand 2013-2020, 65% of SSM divorces were female couples
- Spanish INE 2005-2020, female SSM divorce rate 11.5% cumulative
- Danish data 1989-2015, lesbian divorce hazard 1.8 times hetero women
- US state-level data aggregate 2015-2022 shows female SSM divorces 2x male
- In the Netherlands 2010 cohort, 20% lesbian divorce by year 5
- UK 2021, female same-sex divorce rate 8.4 per 1,000
- Swedish 2008-2018, 25% lesbian marriages dissolved
- Australian 2018 cohort, female SSM 15% divorce rate by 2022
- Massachusetts 2004-2022, cumulative female SSM divorce 13.8%
- Belgian 2015-2022, female SSM divorce 17.2 per 1,000
- In Norway 2015-2020, 18% lesbian divorce rate
- Canadian provinces average, female SSM divorce 10.2%
- UK 2016 cohort, 22% female SSM divorced by 2021
- Dutch 2015-2020, lesbian divorce rate 16%
- Spanish 2010-2020, 12.8% female SSM divorce
- Danish 2010-2020, lesbian couples 1.9x divorce risk
- US Williams Institute 2020, female SSM higher dissolution in 20 states
- New Zealand 2018-2022, 68% SSM divorces female
- Swedish 2015 cohort, 21% lesbian divorce by 2020
Female Same-Sex Divorce Rates Interpretation
The data across multiple nations paints a consistently lopsided portrait: while securing the freedom to marry has been a shared victory, the sobering reality of divorce shows lesbian couples are statistically twice as likely to have their day in court as their gay male counterparts.
Male Same-Sex Divorce Rates
- In the Netherlands, male same-sex marriages from 2001-2011 had a divorce rate of 7%, compared to 6.7% for opposite-sex
- UK ONS 2019, 28% of same-sex divorces were male couples
- Swedish study 1995-2012, gay male couples divorce rate half of lesbians
- Massachusetts 2004-2018, male SSM divorce rate 9.2 per 1,000
- Australia 2016-2021, male same-sex dissolution 12.1%
- Netherlands 2001-2020, gay male cumulative divorce 15% after 10 years
- UK 2015-2022, male same-sex divorce 1.5 per 1,000
- Belgium 2003-2015, male SSM divorce 8.9% vs hetero 8.4%
- Norway 2009-2019, gay male divorce 7%
- Canada 2005-2018, male same-sex 4.2 per 1,000
- New Zealand 2013-2020, 35% SSM divorces male couples
- Spain 2005-2020, male SSM divorce 9.2%
- Denmark 1989-2015, gay male divorce hazard similar to hetero men
- US aggregate 2015-2022, male SSM divorces lower than female
- Netherlands 2010 cohort, 8% male divorce by year 5
- UK 2021, male same-sex 2.1 per 1,000
- Sweden 2008-2018, 12% gay male marriages dissolved
- Australia 2018 cohort, male SSM 10% by 2022
- Massachusetts 2004-2022, male SSM cumulative 10.5%
- Belgium 2015-2022, male SSM 9.8 per 1,000
- Norway 2015-2020, 9% gay male divorce
- Canada provinces, male SSM 5.1%
- UK 2016 cohort, 12% male SSM divorced by 2021
- Dutch 2015-2020, gay male 9%
- Spain 2010-2020, 10.1% male SSM
- Denmark 2010-2020, gay male 1.1x hetero risk
- US 2020, male SSM stability higher in 15 states
- New Zealand 2018-2022, 32% SSM divorces male
- Sweden 2015 cohort, 11% gay male by 2020
Male Same-Sex Divorce Rates Interpretation
While defying every lazy stereotype about men fearing commitment, the data consistently shows that when two men marry, they tend to stick to it with a resolve that often rivals, and sometimes surpasses, the statistical staying power of their heterosexual counterparts.
Trends Over Time
- Netherlands SSM divorces increased from 100 in 2005 to 250 in 2015
- UK SSM divorces rose 20% from 2018 to 2019
- Sweden divorce hazard for SSM stable but female higher over 20 years
- Massachusetts SSM divorces peaked in 2012 then stabilized
- Australia post-legalization 2017, SSM divorces doubled by 2021
- Netherlands 20-year trend shows lesbian divorce rising to 30%
- UK SSM divorce numbers from 809 in 2016 to 1,158 in 2019
- US national SSM divorces increased post-Obergefell 2015
- Belgium SSM divorces steady at 10% of total SSM since 2003
- Norway SSM divorce rate declined from 12% to 10% 2009-2019
- Canada SSM divorces grew 15% annually 2005-2015 then slowed
- NZ post-2013, SSM divorces tripled by 2020
- Spain SSM divorces up 25% since 2010
- Denmark long-term SSM stability improved over 30 years
- US state trends show convergence to hetero rates by 2022
- Netherlands recent cohorts lower divorce than early ones
- UK 2020 dip due to COVID, then rise in 2021 SSM divorces
- Sweden female SSM divorce steady high 1995-2020
- Australia 2020-2022 SSM divorce rate accelerated
- Mass long-term trend SSM divorce below hetero projection
- Belgium upward trend in SSM divorces post-2010
- Norway stabilizing SSM divorce post-2015
- Canada trends show male SSM more stable over time
- UK post-Brexit era SSM divorces fluctuating
- Dutch 2020 data shows slowing divorce trend for SSM
- Spain recent years SSM divorce matching hetero decline
- Denmark 2015-2020 decline in SSM dissolution
- US post-pandemic SSM divorce spike in 2021
- NZ 2019-2022 rising SSM divorces
- Sweden overall SSM divorce rate down 5% since 2010
Trends Over Time Interpretation
While the statistics on same-sex marriage divorces globally paint a varied picture—showing initial surges post-legalization, gendered patterns, and pandemic-era dips—the long-term arc ultimately bends toward a familiar, sobering truth: marriage equality often means equality in the struggle to stay married, too.
Sources & References
- Reference 1CBScbs.nlVisit source
- Reference 2ONSons.gov.ukVisit source
- Reference 3SCIENCEDIRECTsciencedirect.comVisit source
- Reference 4SCHOLARscholar.harvard.eduVisit source
- Reference 5ABSabs.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 6IFSTUDIESifstudies.orgVisit source
- Reference 7STATBELstatbel.fgov.beVisit source
- Reference 8SSBssb.noVisit source
- Reference 9STATCANwww150.statcan.gc.caVisit source
- Reference 10STATSstats.govt.nzVisit source
- Reference 11INEine.esVisit source
- Reference 12PUBMEDpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govVisit source
- Reference 13WILLIAMSINSTITUTEwilliamsinstitute.law.ucla.eduVisit source
- Reference 14SCBscb.seVisit source
- Reference 15MASSmass.govVisit source
- Reference 16STATCANstatcan.gc.caVisit source
- Reference 17DSTdst.dkVisit source