“I’m coming out! I want to world to know! Got to let it show!”
Apparently Diana Ross had more insight than we thought when she sang those famous lyrics back in the 1980s.
A study conducted by the University of Washington showed that gay men that were married were better off both mentally and physically than their single counterparts.
In addition, the same study showed that gay men in committed relationships are happier than those that are single. This aligns with similar data from heterosexuals.
There is a plethora of data that show that on average people who are married are happier than those who are not. The University of Washington study is part of a larger research project “Aging with Pride: National Health, Aging, Sexuality/Gender Study.
According to the lead author & research supervisor Jayn Goldsen “There were big gaps for health and well-being between married gay couples and gay singles,”.
She further elaborated “Those who were married were more out than those who were unmarried with long-term partners, who, in turn, were more out than those who were single.”
The study’s methodology consisted of: Surveying more than 1,800 LGBT people, ages 50 and older. Approximately 25% were married, another 25% were in a committed relationship, and 50% were single. Married respondents had spent an average of 23 years together, while those in a committed, unmarried relationship had spent an average of 16 years. Through survey materials measuring physical and emotional well-being, couples who’d tied the knot or were in a long-term committed relationship fared better than singles. But married couples did the best of all. New York Daily News
There have, in fact, been numerous studies that demonstrate that coming out leads to a higher self-esteem, less anxiety, and lower risk of suicide. The Centers for Disease Control reports that gay and bisexual men who are open about their sexual orientation with others have better health outcomes than gay and bisexual men who do not.
Almost all of us know the feeling of relief that comes from coming out. This data just confirms it.
Related: How I met my husband
Now that monogamy is a growing trend in the gay community as more and more gay men seek serious relationships leaving behind the ‘bump and go’ culture of earlier generations. We can predict we’ll be seeing less and less mental health issues in the gay community.