Gay Marriage: for Better or for Worse? What We've Learned from the Evidence

by Eskridge, William N.; Spedale, Darren R.

• ISBN13: 9780195326970
• ISBN10: 0195326970
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-07-10
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

Opponents of same-sex marriage in the United States claim that allowing gays and lesbians to marry would undermine the institution of marriage, weaken family structures, and cause harm to children. Drawing from 17 years of data and experience with same-sex marriage in Scandinavia (in the formof registered partnerships), Gay Marriage: For Better or for Worse? is the first book to present empirical evidence about the effects of same-sex marriage on society. Spedale and Eskridge find that the evidence refutes conservative defense-of-marriage arguments and, in fact, demonstrates that theinstitution of marriage may indeed benefit from the legalization of gay marriage. If we look at the proof from abroad, the authors show, we must conclude that the sanctioning of gay marriage in the United States would neither undermine marriage as an institution, nor harm the wellbeing of ournation's children. "A very interesting book that people should read." --Bill O'Reilly, Host, The O'Reilly Factor "Whatever your views are now on same-sex marriage, this is the book to read to be informed about why same sex couples want legal recognition and what legal union means to them and to the larger community. Spedale and Eskridge give detailed accounts of the effects of registered partnerships inScandinavia--and along the way, offer fascinating and engaging pictures of many people's lives." --Martha Minow, Jeremiah Smith Jr. Professor, Harvard Law School "Spedale and Eskridge illuminate with remarkable even-handedness a debate that tends to generate more heat than light. They provide a cogent analysis of conservative arguments that same-sex matrimony threatens conventional marriage, and argue persuasively that enabling same-sex partners to marrymay actually strengthen that beleaguered institution." --John Podesta, President and CEO, Center for American Progress "An important and timely contribution. It should be required reading for anyone interested in the future of families in America." --Martha Albertson Fineman, Robert W. Woodruff Professor, Emory Law School

Author Biography

Darren R. Spedale is an investment banker in New York City. He spent two years on a Fulbright Fellowship in Denmark researching Scandinavian same-sex partnerships. He received his J.D. and M.B.A. degrees from Stanford University, and continues his work on same-sex marriage through his pro bono activities. William N. Eskridge, Jr. is the John A. Garver Professor of Jurisprudence at the Yale Law School. He is the author of numerous articles and books, including The Case for Same-Sex Marriage, Dynamic Statutory Interpretation, and Gaylaw: Challenging the Apartheid of the Closet.

Table of Contents

Introduction: Toward a Brave New World

The Evolving Same-Sex Marriage Debate in the UnitedStates

The Same-Sex Marriage Debate in Scandinavia and theRest of Europe

A New Look For Legal Unions: Sixteen Years of Scandinavian Partnerships and the Changing Conception of Family

The Benefits of Same-Sex Marriage: Lessons FromScandinavia

Modern Scandinavian Families and theDefense-of-Marriage Argument

Drawing Lines: Scandinavian Lessons for theAmerican Marriage Debate

Epilogue: I Now Pronounce You An Emerging Menu of Relationship Options

Appendix

Bibliography

Index

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