Gay partnerships 'are as good for health as marriage'
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/02/15/ngay15.xml&sSheet=/news/2006/02/15/ixhome.html
Gay partnerships 'are as good for health as marriage'
By Jonathan Petre, Religion Correspondent
(Filed: 15/02/2006)
Same-sex "marriages" are good for people's health, new research suggests. It says they confer the same benefits on homosexual couples as they do on heterosexuals.
The report says civil partnerships will reduce the prejudice and social exclusion that gay couples feel and should help to cut the high rates of depression and drug-taking among homosexuals.
Heterosexual marriage is known to improve the mental and physical health of couples, reducing alcoholism, heart disease and sexually transmitted diseases.
The report, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Heath, suggests that homosexuals who enter into partnerships should gain many of the same advantages. It says: "Less discrimination against, and greater societal support for, long-term, same-sex relationships may increase self-respect in gay and lesbian people, reduce the tendency to have contact with multiple partners and lead gay people to seek help more promptly for sexual infections."
It acknowledges that it is too early to judge the effects in Britain, as civil partnerships were introduced only in December. But it draws on studies from other parts of the world where gay unions have been allowed for some time.
Denmark was the first country to introduce civil unions for same-sex couples in 1989. Since then several European Union countries, some American states, Australia and Canada have followed suit. The report cites Swiss research showing that patients with HIV in stable partnerships are more likely to develop full-blown Aids more slowly.
Other studies have revealed that "married" same-sex couples are more open about their sexuality and have closer relationships with their relatives than same-sex couples not in civil partnerships.
Prof Michael King, of University College London, who co-wrote the article, says: "Civil partnerships are likely to break down some of the prejudice and promote greater understanding, including among staff working in the health service."
Andy Forrest, of Stonewall, the homosexual rights campaign group, said yesterday: "Civil partnerships are going to mean a lot more financial security without the need to seek legal recourse, which means less stress - and that will be beneficial."
