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Forsaking All Others? The Effects of "Gay Marriage" on Risky Sex

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  • Thomas S. Dee

Abstract

One of the conjectured benefits of establishing the legal recognition of samesex partnerships is that it would promote a culture of responsibility and commitment among homosexuals. A specific implication of this claim is that "gay marriage" will reduce the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STI). In this study, I present a simple 2-period model, which provides a framework for discussing the ways in which gay marriage might reduce (or increase) the prevalence of STI. Then, I present reduced-form empirical evidence on whether gay marriage has actually reduced STI rates. These evaluations are based on country-level panel data from Europe, where nations began introducing national recognition of same-sex partnerships in 1989. The results suggest that these gay-marriage laws led to statistically significant reductions in syphilis rates. However, these effects were smaller and statistically imprecise with respect to gonorrhea and HIV.

Suggested Citation

  • Thomas S. Dee, 2005. "Forsaking All Others? The Effects of "Gay Marriage" on Risky Sex," NBER Working Papers 11327, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:11327
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Michael Grossman & Robert Kaestner & Sara Markowitz, 2005. "An Investigation of the Effects of Alcohol Policies on Youth Std," Advances in Health Economics and Health Services Research, in: Substance Use: Individual Behaviour, Social Interactions, Markets and Politics, pages 229-256, Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
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    Cited by:

    1. Madeline Zavodny, 2008. "Is there a ‘marriage premium’ for gay men?," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 6(4), pages 369-389, December.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I1 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health
    • D1 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior

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