Same-sex marriage bans hurt Latinos most, study says

A proposed constitutional ban on same-sex marriage in Texas could hurt gay Hispanic couples more than Anglos because they have more children, make less money and are less likely to be U.S. citizens.The group issued a report derived from 2000 U.S. Census data on Hispanic same-sex couple households a week before Texans vote on amending the state constitution to ban gay marriage, which is already against state law.

The Census found about 105,000 U.S. same-sex households in which at least one partner was Hispanic. Most were in the Los Angeles, New York and Miami areas, but Houston, Dallas and San Antonio were among the top 10, Washington Post reports.

The study concluded that the many benefits of marriage, from tax advantages to the Family Medical Leave Act to Social Security survivor benefits, would be especially helpful to many Hispanic same-sex couples.

The data showed that 66 percent of Hispanic female couples and 58 percent of Hispanic male couples were raising at least one child. That compares to 32 percent of Anglo lesbian couples and 19 percent of Anglo male couples, report author Jason Cianciotto said.

White gay couples earn an average of $65,000 annually, while Hispanic same-sex couples earn less than $40,000. About 51 percent of gay couples where both partners are Hispanic were identified as not being U.S. citizens, the report says. For couples comprising Hispanic and white men, 8 percent were not U.S. citizens, Houston Chronicle reports. A.M.