![\"Facts](\"https:\/\/image.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/Facts-About-Same-Sex-Marriage-in-the-United-States.jpg\" "\\"Facts")
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The Supreme Court made same-sex marriage legal in the United States in July 2015, and since that time all sorts of changing demographics have popped up regarding this historic decision. Let’s take a look at what sorts of components make up this changing marital landscape.<\/span><\/p>\n The United States has a population of about 327 million people and grows at a rate of about three-quarters of a percent a year. This makes it the largest country which has legalized same-sex marriage. The percentage of the population which identity as homosexuals cannot be determined because different sources give different figures. What can be ascertained is that the number of Americans identifying themselves as LGBT is rising every year. Most researchers think around ten percent<\/a> of the population falls into the LGBT category.<\/p>\n That is a lot of people, and if we look at the other countries around the world where same-<\/span>sex marriage is legal, the United States has by far the largest number of people who can now legally be wed in a same-sex marriage. These are the other countries which allow <\/span> same-sex marriage: <\/span>Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Denmark,<\/span> Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, the <\/span> Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, and Spain. Other countries seriously considering making same-sex legal in the near future include Costa Rica and <\/span> Taiwan.<\/span><\/p>\n America may have been the first country to land a man on the moon, but the Netherlands <\/span>(Holland) was the first country to legalize same-sex marriage. Now the question remains <\/span>to be asked: will same-sex marriage be legal on the moon or on Mars? Believe it or not, <\/span>this question has already been raised.<\/span><\/p>\n Before the <\/span>Supreme Court’s decision, adoption by same-sex couples was not legal in all states, <\/span>and Mississippi was the last state to allow for same-sex adoption.<\/span><\/p>\n Mississippi may have been last in allowing same-sex couples to adopt, but it is first. In the percentage of same-sex couples raising children. Twenty-seven percent of <\/span>Mississippi same-sex couple raise children; the lowest percentage of same-sex <\/span>couple raising children can be found in Washington, D.C. where only nine percent <\/span>choose to become parents.<\/span><\/p>\n Same-sex couples are four times more likely than heterosexual couples to adopt children. About 4% of adoptions in the U.S. are made by same-sex couples. <\/strong>Additionally, <\/span> same-sex couples are also more likely to adopt a child of a different race.<\/span><\/p>\n The surviving member of a same-sex marriage is now considered the next of kin and entitled to exactly the same inheritance rights as his or her equivalent in an opposite-sex marriage. <\/span>This includes social security benefits, other mandated retirements benefits, and tax <\/span>benefits. Companies which offer health insurance to the spouses of employees must <\/span>offer benefits to all spouses, both same sex and opposite sex. Likewise, other benefits <\/span>must be extended to all spouses. These can include dental, vision, health club–whatever–are now available as benefits for all spouses.<\/span><\/p>\n Starting with the marriage license<\/a>, there can be new increased sources of <\/span>revenue for all the businesses associated with weddings: marriage venues, hotels, car <\/span>rentals, airline tickets, bakeries, musicians, department stores, delivery services, <\/span>restaurants, bars, clubs, stationers, photographers, specialist stores, seamstresses, <\/span>tailors, milliners, printers, confectioners, landscapers, florists, Airbnb, event planners–<\/span>the list could be endless! The coffers of municipalities, states, and the federal <\/span>government are all being enriched by the actions of the Supreme Court legalizing same-sex marriage<\/a>. One other group is also making money from the passage of <\/span>the Marriage Equality Act–lawyers. They will always make money: drawing up <\/span>prenuptial agreements, and in the event that the marriage for whatever reason does <\/span>not work out, negotiating divorce agreements.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/span>1. Around ten percent of the population falls into the LGBT category<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/span>2.<\/strong> U.S. has the largest number of people who can <\/strong>be in a same-sex marriage<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/span> 3. Netherlands (Holland) was the first country to legalize same-sex marriage<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/span>4. Same-sex married partners now have the right to adopt in all fifty states<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"Same-sex](\"https:\/\/image.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Same-sex-marriage1.jpg\" "\\"Same-sex")
<\/p>\n<\/span> 5. Mississippi may have been last in allowing same-sex couples to adopt<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/span>6. Same-sex couples are more likely to adopt children<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/span>7. Some of the biggest changes this law brought about are financial<\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/span>8. Same-sex marriages mean more money for communities<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"Same-sex](\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/same-sex-marriage.jpg\" "\\"Same-sex")
<\/p>\n<\/span>9. Every ten years there must be an official government census<\/span><\/h2>\n