Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage Matters for the Subjective Well-Being of Individuals in Same-Sex Unions

We investigate whether the subjective well-being of individuals in same-sex unions increased following the legalization of same-sex marriage in England and Wales in March 2014. We employ repeated cross-sectional data from the 2011-2016 Annual Population Surveys on 476,411 persons, including 4,112 individuals in co-residential same-sex relationships. The analysis reveals substantial increases in subjective well-being for individuals in same-sex relationships following legalization. Additional analysis documents higher subjective well-being for individuals in married same-sex couples as compared to individuals who are in a civil partnership or an informal cohabiting same-sex union. However, the subjective well-being of individuals from same-sex couples was higher after legalization for all sub-groups considered, including those who cohabited informally. This result hints at a general reduction in structural stigma as an important mechanism behind the improved well-being of individuals in same-sex unions.