ABSTRACT
The goal of achieving same-sex marriage has been described as a uniting force in the lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) community, but it is also important to remember that not all LGB people support the institution of marriage. In this chapter, personal ambitions for and political attitudes toward marriage are examined in relation to the variables of sexual minority stress, couple satisfaction, outness, and social support for individuals in same-sex relationships. Participants (Men, n = 108; Women, n = 132) were at least 18 years of age and currently in a same-sex relationship of at least six months. Analyses revealed that the overwhelming majority of participants desired marriage for themselves and for the LGB community politically. In multiple regression analyses, men's personal aspirations to marry were predicted only by their couple satisfaction. However, men's political attitudes about same-sex marriage were predicted by sexual minority stress and couple satisfaction together. For women, personal aspirations to marry were predicted by their outness and couple satisfaction together. However, women's political attitudes about same-sex marriage were predicted by couple satisfaction alone.
