Working Paper: NBER ID: w11327
Authors: Thomas S. Dee
Abstract: One of the conjectured benefits of establishing the legal recognition of samesex partnerships is that it would promote a culture of responsibility and commitment among homosexuals. A specific implication of this claim is that "gay marriage" will reduce the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STI). In this study, I present a simple 2-period model, which provides a framework for discussing the ways in which gay marriage might reduce (or increase) the prevalence of STI. Then, I present reduced-form empirical evidence on whether gay marriage has actually reduced STI rates. These evaluations are based on country-level panel data from Europe, where nations began introducing national recognition of same-sex partnerships in 1989. The results suggest that these gay-marriage laws led to statistically significant reductions in syphilis rates. However, these effects were smaller and statistically imprecise with respect to gonorrhea and HIV.
Keywords: No keywords provided
JEL Codes: I1; D1
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| Gay marriage laws (K36) | Promotion of fidelity among homosexuals (J12) |
| Promotion of fidelity among homosexuals (J12) | Reduction in syphilis rates (I14) |
| Reduction in syphilis rates (I14) | Change in gonorrhea and HIV rates (I14) |
| Gay marriage laws (K36) | Reduction in syphilis rates (I14) |
| Gay marriage laws (K36) | Change in sexually transmitted infections (STIs) (I12) |