Indiana Experiences 54% Increase In Same-Sex Couples

INDIANA AND OTHER MIDWESTERN STATES OUTPACE NATION ACCORDING TO NEW STUDY
An American Community Survey just released by the Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation Law and Public Policy at UCLA School of Law provides some surprising demographic results for the gay and lesbian population across the U.S. and in Indiana. The study finds that as the debate over gay marriage heated up on the political front in recent years, the number of self-identified same-sex couples surged more than 30% from 2000-2005, from nearly 600,000 in 2000 to 777,000 in 2005. And, believe it or not, Indiana saw one of the highest increases in same sex-couples, growing by 54% from 10,219 in 2000 to 15,714 in 2005. That same study estimated that 169,700 gay, lesbian and bi-sexual persons live in Indiana, or 3.8% of the population. That matches Illinois’ percentage and is slightly less than Ohio’s 4% rate. The study estimated that 3.4% of the adults living in Michigan and Kentucky were gay, lesbian or bi-sexual.

What is fascinating about the ACS study is the dramatic growth it found in self-identified same-sex couples in the Midwest. All but two of the top ten states identified in the ACS study are in the Midwest. In addition to Indiana, the top ten includes Iowa, Kansas, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska and Ohio. Four of those states have enacted constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriages in recent years. Wisconsin has a constitutional ban on the ballot this year, and Indiana has a proposed amendment which could make the ballot as soon as 2008 if it is approved by the next General Assembly. Iowa and Minnesota have both adopted Defense of Marriage Acts, along with the other 6 Midwestern states in the top ten.

The dramatic growth in same-sex couples in the Midwestern states in the face of legislative efforts to discriminate against gays and lesbians suggests that the legislative efforts are having the opposite effect some think such laws are intended to have—to discourage gays and lesbians from entering into committed, same-sex relationships. This is bolstered by the fact that in 6 of the 8 states in which gay marriage ban initiatives are on the ballot, the increase in the number of same-sex couples outpaced the growth nationally. The study itself attributes the growth to acceptance. “Growth in the number of same-sex couples throughout the Midwest suggests that as acceptance of lesbian and gay couples reaches into America's Heartland, more couples are willing to identify themselves,” the study concluded.

The study’s findings could have a real electoral impact on future elections in the U.S. Not surprisingly, traditional battleground states in presidential elections rank in the top ten states with the largest gay and lesbian populations. That includes California, Florida, New York, Texas, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Georgia. Those 8 states alone represent 224, or 42% of the total number of electoral votes. A presidential candidate winning those 8 states need only collect 46 more electoral votes to win the presidency.

What is particularly new about the ACS study is that it represents the first time GLBT demographic data has been available for each of the 435 congressional districts. Four of the top congressional districts for GLBT residents were in California. The nearest to Indiana is Illinois' 7th District, which includes Chicago’s far north side and Evanston. Minneapolis, Seattle, Atlanta, New York City and Somerville, Massachusetts each had one district in the top 10.

If you guessed Indianapolis’ 7th District had the largest number of gays and lesbians, you guessed wrong. Surprisingly, the 5th District represented by Rep. Dan Burton (R) has the largest number of gays and lesbians, with 25,312 or 4.6% of the district’s adult population. He is perhaps Indiana's most anti-gay member of Congress. The 1st District represented by Rep. Pete Visclosky (D) places a close second with 23,416 gays and lesbians, or 4.6% of the district’s adult population. The 7th District represented by Rep. Julia Carson comes in third place with 20,289 gays and lesbians, or 4.5% of the district’s adult population. The Indiana congressional district with the least number of gays and lesbians is the 4th District, with 15,869, or 3.0% of the district’s adult population. The 4th District is represented by Rep. Steve Buyer (R).

The study also found that 26,712 gays and lesbians make their home in Indianapolis, which is 4.8% of the adult population. That number grows to 52,963, or 4.5% when you include the entire metropolitan area of Indianapolis. The study found there were 2,680 self-identified same-sex couples in the city, and 5,032 in the metropolitan area. The study finds there are significantly more male, same-sex couples than female, same-sex couples here and elsewhere in the U.S. I would observe that Rep. Carson's winning margin has typically been well below the 26,712 number of gays and lesbians living in the city according to the study's estimate. This demonstrates why, in a competitive district like the 7th District, the gay vote is so critical. This hasn't gone unnoticed by her Republican challenger, Eric Dickerson, who is the first Republican challenger Carson has faced who is actively campaigning for gay votes. If you would like to read the study in its entirety, you can click here.