Rutgers University Press Marriage and Health: The Well-Being of Same-Sex Couples (Politics of Marriage and Gender: Global Issues in Local Contexts)

Studies have shown that married couples have better mental and physical health than unmarried people. Leading scholars and policy makers propose that marriage can provide similar benefits to people in both same-sex and different-sex relationships. Though research on the health and well-being of same-sex couples is a new and growing field, Marriage and Health: The Well-Being of Same-Sex Couples represents the forefront of marriage and health research and the far-reaching policy implications for the health of same-sex couples. This collection of essays presents new perspectives that address current opportunities and challenges faced by people in same-sex unions in multiple domains of well-being, including physical and mental health, social support, socialized behaviors, and stigmas. The book offers a broad view of same-sex couples' experiences by examining not only marriage and civil unions, but also dating and cohabiting relationships as well as same-sex sexual experiences outside of relationships. Review "The editors should be commended for the breadth with which they treat the topic and the progress this collection represents in helping to empirically normalize same-sex marriage....Recommended."-- "Choice""Marriage and Health: The Well-Being of Same-Sex Couples is a welcome and overdue addition to the burgeoning literature on sexuality and health. By addressing a critical question--Does marriage matter for the well-being of those in sexual minority unions in similar ways as it does for those in heterosexual unions?--from multiple vantage points, this unique collection of cutting-edge studies is more than the sum of its parts and provides essential theoretical and empirical foundations for future research. It is my sincere hope that this important book will be widely read and stimulate a next generation of data collection and investigation."--Andrew S. London "co-editor of Life Course Perspectives on Military Service""We are only at the beginning of understanding how marriage and other types of romantic unions influence mental and physical health for same-sex couples. The editors of Marriage and Health have deftly brought together the best evidence available to tell us what is currently known and where we need to go in the future. This volume serves as a guide to the most important questions, challenges, and strategic directions for research on same-sex relationships--all essential to protecting and maximizing the health and well-being of sexual minority populations."--Debra Umberson "author of Death of a Parent: Transition to a New Adult Identity" About the Author Hiu Liu is a professor of sociology at Michigan State University in East Lansing. Corinne Reczek is an associate professor of sociology at Ohio State University in Columbus. Lindsey Wilkinson is an associate professor of sociology at Portland State University, Oregon.