Same-Sex Marriage — A Prescription for Better Health

Research suggests that discriminatory environments and bans on same-sex marriage are detrimental to health and that legalizing same-sex marriage contributes to better health for LGBT people, as well as improving access to insurance for LGBT people and their children. The past year has proved to be a pivotal one for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Americans. When 2013 began, same-sex couples were allowed to marry only in 9 states plus Washington, D.C., and even when they were legally married by states, the federal government did not recognize their relationships, in accordance with the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). As of February 2014, same-sex couples can legally wed in 17 states (and enter civil unions or domestic partnerships in 3 others), and their unions are federally recognized, thanks to a set of court decisions and new laws passed by . . .