Gay vs straight divorce rates

• The average age of same-sex divorcees in the UK in 2022 was 40.8 years for men
• The average age of same-sex divorcees in the UK in 2022 was 40.1 years for women
• Same-sex divorcees in the UK are on average younger than opposite-sex divorcees (who average in their mid-40s)
• In the US, same-sex couples with children have a slightly lower dissolution rate than those without children
• In the UK (2019), the most common age group for same-sex divorce was 35-39 for both men and women
• Poverty rates are higher in divorced lesbian households than divorced gay male households in the US
• Interracial same-sex couples in the US show no statistically significant difference in divorce rates compared to same-race couples
• In the UK, same-sex couples living in London have higher divorce numbers correlating with higher population density of LGBT residents
• Same-sex couples in the US South are more likely to be divorced than those in the Northeast, correlating with younger marriage ages
• In the Netherlands, age disparities between partners are a stronger predictor of divorce in same-sex male couples than female couples
• Bisexual individuals in same-sex marriages report higher rates of dissolution than monosexual gay/lesbian individuals in the US
• In 2021, the mean age at divorce for female same-sex partners in the UK was 39.2 years
• In 2021, the mean age at divorce for male same-sex partners in the UK was 40.4 years
• Higher educational attainment correlates with lower divorce rates in same-sex couples, similar to opposite-sex trends
• In Norway, same-sex couples with children are more stable than those without, but still less stable than opposite-sex parents
• US data suggests lesbian couples are more likely to have children, which complicates divorce custody proceedings compared to gay men
• Older same-sex couples (55+) have significantly lower divorce rates than those under 35
• In Sweden, same-sex couples where one partner is an immigrant have higher divorce rates than two native-born partners
• Economic dependency is less of a barrier to divorce for lesbian couples than heterosexual women due to higher workforce participation
• Same-sex divorce numbers are rising simply because the pool of married same-sex couples is growing annually

Demographics & Socio-Economics Interpretation

• The median duration of marriage for same-sex male couples who divorced in 2022 in England was 5.8 years
• The median duration of marriage for same-sex female couples who divorced in 2022 in England was 4.9 years
• In 2020, the median duration of marriage at divorce for same-sex couples in the UK was 4.7 years
• In 2020, the median duration of marriage at divorce for opposite-sex couples was 11.9 years, significantly higher than same-sex couples
• Dutch data shows the peak risk of divorce for same-sex couples is within the first 4 years
• The median duration of UK same-sex marriages ending in divorce rose from 3.8 years in 2018 to 5.5 years in 2022
• In Belgium, same-sex marriages have a higher probability of dissolving in the first 2 years than opposite-sex marriages
• In the UK, same-sex male marriages last longer on average before divorce than same-sex female marriages
• In 2019, the median duration of marriage for divorcing male same-sex couples in the UK was 4.6 years
• In 2019, the median duration of marriage for divorcing female same-sex couples in the UK was 4.1 years
• Norwegian statistics show same-sex couples dissolve unions earlier in the relationship timeline than opposite-sex couples
• In 2017, the average marriage length for same-sex divorcees in the UK was only 3.3 years due to the recency of the law
• The gap in marriage duration between same-sex and opposite-sex couples at the time of divorce is narrowing annually in the UK
• Short duration marriages (under 5 years) account for a higher percentage of total same-sex divorces than opposite-sex divorces in New Zealand
• Early US state data suggested same-sex couples who cohabited longer before marriage had lower divorce rates
• In the Netherlands, 50% of the divorces among lesbian couples happen within the first 6 years
• 80% of same-sex divorces in England (2018) occurred in marriages lasting less than 5 years
• The median duration of dissolved Civil Unions in New Zealand is longer than same-sex marriages due to the earlier start date of the Act
• In Finland, the peak divorce rate for registered partnerships occurred in the 4th year of union
• Australian data indicates that same-sex separations often occur sooner after the wedding date than opposite-sex separations

Duration & Timing of Dissolution Interpretation

• In 2022, 63.7% of same-sex divorces in England and Wales were between female couples
• In 2022, 36.3% of same-sex divorces in England and Wales were between male couples
• Lesbians in the Netherlands are nearly twice as likely to divorce as gay men
• In the UK in 2019, nearly three-quarters (72%) of same-sex divorces were among female couples
• In Norway, the risk of divorce for lesbian couples is 2.3 times higher than for gay male couples
• In 2021, there were 1,061 divorces among female same-sex couples in England and Wales
• In 2021, there were 510 divorces among male same-sex couples in England and Wales
• In Belgium, lesbian couples have a divorce rate of roughly 25% after 5 years compared to 14% for gay men
• In Finland, female same-sex partnerships are more likely to dissolve than male same-sex partnerships
• Swedish registry data confirms women married to women have the highest divorce risk of all union types
• In 2020, 71% of same-sex divorces in the UK were female couples
• In the comparison of dissolution of Civil Partnerships in the UK, women account for roughly 60% of dissolutions
• Australian data shows female same-sex couples make up a larger proportion of divorces than marriage registrations relative to males
• Danish studies show a 2.59 hazard ratio for divorce among lesbians compared to a 1.28 hazard ratio for gay men relative to straight couples
• In 2018, female couples accounted for 74% of same-sex divorces in England and Wales
• Over a 20-year longitudinal study in Norway, 28% of lesbian unions were dissolved compared to 20% of gay male unions
• UK data indicates male same-sex couples have the lowest divorce rates of all pairing types (including opposite-sex)
• In France, 58% of same-sex divorces in 2017 were among female couples
• Swiss data indicates that dissolved same-sex partnerships are 57% female
• Even in the first year of legalization in various US states, female divorce petitions outpaced male petitions

Gender Breakdowns (Female vs Male) Interpretation

• In England and Wales, there were 1,671 divorces among same-sex couples in 2022
• The number of same-sex divorces in England and Wales increased by 6.4% from 2021 to 2022
• In the US, the divorce rate for same-sex couples was estimated at 1.1% regarding total population in 2015-2017 data
• By 2019, the total number of same-sex divorces in the UK exceeded 800 per year for the first time
• In the Netherlands, approximately 15% of gay marriages end in divorce after 10 years
• In the Netherlands, approximately 30% of lesbian marriages end in divorce after 10 years
• US Census Bureau data indicated that about 1.6% of same-sex couples reported being divorced in 2019
• In New Zealand, there were 48 same-sex divorces granted in 2018
• In Belgium, the crude divorce rate for same-sex couples remains comparable to opposite-sex couples when adjusted for duration
• In Sweden, same-sex male couples have a divorce risk 1.5 times higher than opposite-sex couples
• In Sweden, same-sex female couples have a divorce risk 2.5 times higher than opposite-sex couples
• In 2021, there were 1,571 same-sex divorces in England and Wales
• The US divorce rate for same-sex couples is slightly lower annually than the 2% rate observed in opposite-sex couples in early comparisons
• In Norway, same-sex couples are 23% less likely to have divorced than opposite-sex couples when controlled for marriage duration in early cohorts
• Australian data from 2021 showed 495 divorces granted to same-sex couples
• In the UK, same-sex divorces accounted for 1.4% of all divorces in 2021
• In 2020, there were 1,154 divorces among same-sex couples in England and Wales
• Swiss statistical data predicted a divorce rate of roughly 19% for registered partnerships based on early trends
• In France, approximately 1,200 same-sex divorces occurred in 2018
• Total same-sex divorces in the UK nearly doubled between 2016 and 2019

General Divorce Rates & Totals Interpretation

• "Unreasonable behaviour" was the most common ground for same-sex divorce in the UK before the "no-fault" law change (2022)
• In 2019, 63% of same-sex divorces in the UK cited unreasonable behaviour
• Adultery was historically rarely used as a ground for same-sex divorce in UK due to the legal definition of adultery requiring opposite-sex intercourse
• The introduction of "no-fault" divorce in the UK (April 2022) is expected to spike same-sex divorce figures in 2023 reports
• Civil Partnership dissolutions in the UK dropped to 672 in 2021 after peaking in 2016
• A significant number of same-sex divorces in 2015-2016 in the US were couples who married in other jurisdictions before federal recognition
• In 2016, UK same-sex divorces increased by 380% compared to 2015, marking the first major wave of eligibility
• The conversion of Civil Partnerships to Marriages in the UK creates statistical anomalies in divorce duration data
• In Ireland, the first same-sex divorces were only processed starting in 2019 due to the 4-year waiting period law (since reduced)
• In 2022, there were 525 Civil Partnership dissolutions in England and Wales, a decrease from previous years
• Separation leads to divorce faster for same-sex couples in the US than opposite-sex couples in states with short waiting periods
• The majority of same-sex dissolutions in New Zealand were originally civil unions rather than marriages until 2016
• In Scotland, simplified divorce procedure applies to same-sex couples with no children and low assets, speeding up the process
• Dissolution of civil partnerships in the UK fell by 12.8% between 2020 and 2021
• 9,280 civil partnerships have been dissolved in the UK since the Act came into force in 2005 through 2021
• Same-sex divorce rates in US states that legalized early (e.g.

  With 61% of Americans now supporting same-sex marriage, up from 37% in 2009, the social environment for LGBTQ+ couples is becoming more supportive, which should contribute to reduced minority stress and improved relationship stability. The 12.3% divorce rate among lesbian couples with children within the first five years of marriage highlights the additional stressors that child-rearing can place on relationships, particularly when combined with the unique challenges faced by LGBTQ+ families in terms of legal recognition, social acceptance, and support systems.

  Gay Divorce Trends in the US 2025

  The gay divorce rate in the US 2025 reflects broader social and legal changes that have occurred over the past decade.

  The normalization of same-sex relationships in media, policy, and daily life is expected to further reduce the unique stressors that have historically contributed to higher divorce rates in some segments of the LGBTQ+ community.

  Looking toward the future, several key factors are likely to influence the gay divorce rate trends 2025 and beyond.

  What about mixed-orientation marriages?

  These marriages, where one spouse is attracted to the same sex but married to the opposite sex, tend to have very high divorce rates, sometimes above 50%.

  6. Why Are Lesbian Marriages More Prone to Divorce?

  Researchers and relationship experts have identified a few possible reasons:

  • “U-Hauling” Phenomenon – Some lesbian couples move in together quickly, leading to fast-tracked commitments without long-term compatibility being tested.
  • Higher Likelihood of Filing for Divorce – Women, in general, initiate divorce more often than men.

    This statistic highlights the particular challenges faced by lesbian mothers, who must navigate not only the typical stressors of parenting but also legal complexities around non-biological parent rights, social acceptance, and access to supportive services. However, the overall divorce rate remains substantially lower, suggesting that when gay male couples do divorce, the underlying issues may be more severe or that they are more likely to work through relationship challenges before reaching the point of legal dissolution.

    Social acceptance, legal rights, and cultural attitudes toward both marriage and LGBTQ+ relationships can greatly influence divorce likelihood.

    7. As we examine the gay divorce rate statistics, we see a complex picture that challenges many preconceptions about LGBTQ+ relationship stability. The Numbers: Lesbian Couples Lead in Divorce Rates

    • Netherlands – Around 30% of lesbian marriages ended within ten years, compared to 15% for gay male couples and 18% for heterosexual couples.
    • Sweden & Norway – Female same-sex marriages saw divorce rates near 40%, compared to about 30% for both male same-sex and heterosexual unions.
    • UK (England & Wales) – Lesbian couples were 2.5 times more likely to divorce than male same-sex couples.

      The 4.7-year average duration before divorce among lesbian couples suggests that relationship stability is tested most severely during the early years of marriage, particularly when combined with child-rearing responsibilities.

      Gay Male Divorce Statistics in the US 2025

      Gay Male Divorce Metrics 2025	Percentage/Data
      Overall Gay Male Divorce Rate	16%
      Average Years Before Divorce	5.4 years
      Legal Ground: Unreasonable Behavior	57%
      Legal Ground: Irreconcilable Differences	28%
      Legal Ground: Separation	12%
      Other Reasons (abuse, imprisonment)	3%
      Annual Dissolution Rate	1.1%
      Married Gay Male Couples (current)	Data varies by state
      Financial Stability Factor	Higher income = lower divorce rate

      The gay male divorce rate in the US shows markedly different patterns compared to lesbian couples, with a significantly lower overall divorce rate of 16%.

      Awareness of the patterns simply helps couples prepare for the challenges unique to their relationship dynamic.

      FAQs – Divorce Rates by Sexuality

      1. The gay male divorce statistics 2025 also indicate that financial stability plays a crucial role, with higher-income couples showing greater relationship stability, possibly due to reduced financial stress and greater access to relationship counseling and support services.

      Factors Affecting Gay Divorce Rates in the US 2025

      Contributing Factors	Impact Level	Description
      Minority Stress	High	Discrimination and social stigma effects
      Family Support	High	Lack of family acceptance impacts stability
      Legal Recognition	Medium	Access to marriage equality and legal rights
      Financial Stability	High	Economic security affects relationship stability
      Children Present	Variable	Can strengthen or stress relationships
      Age at Marriage	Medium	Older couples show greater stability
      Education Level	Medium	Higher education correlates with stability
      Geographic Location	Medium	More accepting regions show lower divorce rates

      The factors affecting gay divorce rates reveal a complex interplay of social, legal, and personal elements that influence relationship stability.

      In lesbian marriages, this factor doubles in potential impact.

    • Age and Remarriage Risks – Many lesbian marriages involve older partners or second marriages, both of which statistically have higher divorce risks.

    3. Are same-sex divorce rates changing over time?

    As same-sex marriage becomes more accepted and normalized, some researchers believe divorce rates may gradually stabilize across orientations.