Only 14 couples have entered into civil unions in Rhode Island since the law passed this summer, but approximately 600 same-sex couples traveled to states like Massachusetts to be married instead, WPRI reports. Rhode Island recognizes same-sex marriages from out of state and its marriage inequality laws may be draining more than $8 million out of the state economy. Watch the local news report:
Interestingly, a new Williams Institute study out today confirms that “same-sex couples are marrying at higher rates than they are entering civil unions or other legally recognized partnerships, particularly when the options are first introduced by a state.” “Our findings are consistent with other research showing that couples value marriage more for its social meaning than for its practical benefits,” M.V. Lee Badgett, Williams’ Research Director explains. The study found that in the three states that track residency among same-sex couples who marry, “60 percent of same-sex couples marrying are from other states.”
Previous in TP LGBT
By clicking and submitting a comment I acknowledge the ThinkProgress Privacy Policy and agree to the ThinkProgress Terms of Use. I understand that my comments are also being governed by Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, or Hotmail’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policies as applicable, which can be found here.