Facts

The sanctity of marriage is at the center of today's culture war in America. Social conservatives see marriage being attacked by a disintegration of family values and by the advent of gay marriage. Others claim that marriage is making a bit of a comeback and that gay-marriages, rather than harming the santity of marriage, reinforce it.

General

How many Americans are married:

• 120.2 million Americans are married (2000) (54% of population 15 years +) (Census).

Percent of couples that are unmarried. Unmarried couples that live together (NORC) make up:

• 1997: 7% of all couples; 4.1% of all families
• 1990: 5.1% of all couples; 3.1% of all families
• 1980: 3.1% of all couples; 2% of all families

Same sex couples

Number of unmarried same sex couples living together in the US (Census):

The Skinny

see also background & facts, pro & con, links

What's Up

In November 2003, a Massachusetts’ Supreme Court decision legitimizing gay marriages sparked a nationwide debate that had same-sex couples running to the altar and state governments scrambling to define who could and who could not get hitched. President Bush brought the debate to DC by endorsing a change to the Constitution that would outlaw same-sex marriages. So far there’s been more bark than bite to the national debate, with the status of DC's position on gay marriages little altered since '03. But at the state level, the pandora’s box of same-sex marriages was flung wide open; while most states immediately moved to limit or ban same-sex marriage, a growing number inched toward approval of same-sex partnerships and marriages.

Facts

Since a lot of the debates surrounding reproductive health - abortion, birth control and STDs - are particularly concerned with youth and sexual behavior, cJ thought a separate fact page on teens and sex was in order.

Contraception use

What percent of teens used contraception the first time they had sex? (2002) (CDC)

females

• none: 25.5%
• condom: 66.4%
• pill: 16.5%
• withdrawal: 7.5%
• dual methods (condom and hormonal): 13.1%

males

• none: 18%
• condom: 70.9%
• pill: 14.9%
• withdrawal: 9.8%
• dual methods (condom and hormonal): 10.4%

What percent of teen females have used emergency contraception (such as Plan B)? (2002)

• 8.1%

Percent of teen females who had sex 3 months before the interview who used: (2002)