Landmark Report by RAND Details Societal Benefits of Freedom To Marry
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | May 16, 2024
WASHINGTON – Yesterday, former Virginia Congresswoman Barbara Comstock (R) joined Sirius XM’s Julie Mason Show to discuss a new landmark report, conducted by RAND in partnership with Centerline Liberties, examining the impact of the freedom to marry for same-sex couples on American families and society at large. The full report can be accessed here,
Comstock, a Republican, underscored the widespread bipartisan support for the freedom to marry, noting: “Three-quarters of Americans support marriage equality, which includes half of Republicans, the majority of regular church goers, and received broad bipartisan votes in 2022 in both the Senate and the House.”
She went on to further highlight how the study “looked at the benefits for the families themselves – greater financial security, health benefits… more marriage and family formation … there’s been a 10% increase in marriage overall over the past 20 years.” Comstock noted the Rand report examined the past twenty years and found, “positive change and acceptance among all age groups,” while disproving the notion that the freedom to marry could cause harm to society.
Public support of the freedom to marry continues to grow as the societal benefits of marriage equality continue to set in. A Gallup survey from June 2023 found 71 percent of Americans believing same-sex marriage should be legal, including more than half (55%) of Republicans.
RAND’s report arrives twenty years after the issuance of the first marriage licenses to same-sex couples in the United States. Tomorrow in Boston, advocates and activists will gather at Arlington Street Church Sanctuary to mark the momentous anniversary.
Listen to Comstock’s entire interview here.
###
Centerline Liberties is a nonprofit focused on advancing policy solutions capable of defending core constitutional liberties, preserving a free market economy, and limiting the role of government in Americans’ everyday lives.