Study Links Gay Marriage Bans to Rise in HIV Rate

[struggle4progress]

Bans on same-sex marriage can be tied to a rise in the rate of HIV infection, a new study by two Emory economists has found.

In the first study of the impact of social tolerance levels toward gays in the United States on the HIV transmission rate, the researchers estimated that a constitutional ban on gay marriage raises the rate by four cases per 100,000 people.

"We found the effects of tolerance for gays on HIV to be statistically significant and robust – they hold up under a range of empirical models," says Hugo Mialon, an assistant professor of economics.

"Laws on gay marriage are in flux and under debate," added Andrew Francis, also an assistant professor of economics, citing the recent decision by the California Supreme Court to uphold a ban on same-sex marriage. "It's a hot issue, and we are hoping that policymakers will take our findings into account" ...

http://www.emory.edu/home/news/releases/2009/06/study-links-gay-marriage-bans-to-rise-in-hiv-rate.html

[madeline_con]

1. I don't get it...

"Intolerance is deadly," Mialon said. "Bans on gay marriage codify intolerance, causing more gay people to shift to underground sexual behaviors that carry more risk."

Is the study concluding that gays become promiscuous as a result of same-sex marriage bans? :wtf:

[ddiver]

2. I guess they are saying it gives you one more excuse not to be monogamous.

When I was single, I am hetero, I would have used it. "Sorry baby, the Man won't let me marry you."

[struggle4progress]

4. I don't know whether their explanatory models would survive scrutiny or not

They do seem to have empirical data showing a correlation between HIV rates and intolerance. One might imagine various explanations for the data: for example, less informed views about sexuality could be coupled with a lower propensity to take appropriate protection steps. Since social phenomena are complicated, it is also possible that distinct multiple mechanisms account for the observed correlation

[pnwmom]

7. I think the study is concluding that gay men are more likely

to be in denial about their sexuality -- and having unplanned versus planned sex (with condoms) -- if they live in places with a lot of homophobia.

[burrowowl]

3. What utter BS! NT

[babylonsister]

5. What a bunch of crap! Because committed partners can't get married, yet,

they go out and are suddenly promiscuous? Ugh.

[pnwmom]

6. That's not the point at all.

The probable reason for that statistic is that in places where there is a lot of homophobia -- such as states that ban gay marriage -- men are more likely to be in denial about their sexuality -- even to themselves. These men don't take precautions like using condoms because they're not really gay, in their minds. (Think Senator Craig.) Having a condom would mean they had PLANNED it. It didn't just happen.

The same thing happens to girls. Bringing a condom would mean they PLANNED to have sex. Planning to have sex, in their minds, is wrong. So they end up risking unplanned sex, instead.

The moralism behind abstinence programs doesn't work -- whether the individuals are straight or gay.

[struggle4progress]

8. That's a poor spin. One might do better by noting that there's probably evidence

married heterosexuals are less likely to be sexually promiscuous than unmarried heterosexuals, and there's really no good reason to expect homosexuals to differ from heterosexuals in this regard. And in more tolerant communities, it is easier to have committed relationships

Promiscuity and contraception in a sample of patients attending a clinic for venereal diseases
British Journal of Venereal Diseases, 1970;46:243-264
... The single subjects were more promiscuous than the married ones ...
http://www.popline.org/docs/0080/700984.html