Same-sex partnerships
may be good for couples
By Reuters from
CNN.com on the Web, February 15. 2006
LONDON, Feb.14 -- Gay and
lesbian civil partnerships could bring lasting health benefits to same-sex
couples, researchers said on Tuesday.
Doctors already know that marriage benefits the health of both sexes in a
variety of ways. British scientists said civil partnerships for gay and
lesbian couples were likely to offer similar advantages.
"Marriage confers health benefits on men and women and similar benefits could
arise from same-sex civil unions," said Professor Michael King, of London's
Royal Free and University College Medical School, in a study published in the
Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.
The Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Australia and Canada already give same-sex
couples the rights traditionally offered to married couples.
Britain introduced civil partnerships for gay and lesbian couples late last
year.
Elton John and his partner David Furnish made use of the new legislation, which
creates partnerships which are not technically marriages but confer similar
benefits.
"It looks like both men and women benefit from (traditional) marriage," King
said in an interview.
"These are not effects just on happiness or well-being. They seem to be
important in terms of cardiovascular disease and other issues."
Civil unions probably reduce discrimination against gay and lesbian couples and
make their relationships more stable.
"It may be that recognition and support of relationships like that through
taxation ... lead to people's lifestyle being different," he said.
"If it leads to gay peoples' relationships being more stable because families
recognized them and there was a social framework of recognition, that might mean
less exchange of partners, less sexual risk, less drinking, less of the sorts of
problems that gay men and lesbians sometimes get into."
Civil unions probably also increase support for gay and lesbian partnerships
among families and in society at large, allowing couples to resolve any problems
that arise in their relationships more easily.
"Social inclusion is a very big thing because if partnerships lead to
recognition ... then that stops a lot of unhealthy habits that occur and it also
stops a lot of psychological issues," King said.
"There is very good evidence now that gay men and lesbians are much more
vulnerable to deliberate self-harm, to suicide attempts or to depression and
other psychiatric problems."
Access to health care would also improve, according to the report which was
co-written by Annie Bartlett from St George's Hospital Medical School in London.
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