TN has 33% More Gay Couples

According to a new study, Tennessee has seen a 33% increase in gay couples since 2000.

The Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation Law and Public Policy at the UCLA School of Law found the number of same-sex couples in the United States increased more than 30 percent between 2000 and 2005. The national population, by comparison, increased 6 percent in that period.

According to the study released earlier this month, 13,570 same-sex couples were living in Tennessee in 2005, a 33 percent increase over 10,189 same-sex couples in 2000.

Approximately 2,033 of those couples were living in Nashville-Davidson County, including domestic partners Ben Papa and Brad Bullock.

"My initial reaction is that there are more people admitting to being gay and living as a couples," Papa said. "I do agree, though, that society is slowly becoming more open."

Same-sex couples increased by more than 30 percent in six of the eight states that have proposed constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriage this November.
"It appears that one of the consequences of the referendums is that instead of gays and lesbians feeling less willing to be open, our data suggests the reverse," Gates said.

One of our dimwitted state Senators, David Fowler, R (of course)-Signal Mountain, who has given up his senatorial seat to head the nonprofit organization Family Action Council of Tennessee, an advocacy group that supports the proposed constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, claims

He said he had not seen a marked increase in same-sex couples in his district and did not expect the new data to influence voters' decision.

"I think the beliefs of the vast majority of Tennesseans are strongly held and years in the making," Fowler said. "I just don't see it changing their opinion."

I doubt there is a plethora of gay couples living openly around Signal Mountain anyway. How can he make such an idiotic statement? Oh, wait, he's a fundie that's how!

Do you think these amendments have caused more people to come out? Have you been more outspoken since these amendments have started popping up?

Cross-posted on Pam's House Blend.