Sex | More Same-sex Couples In Ohio

Nearly 10,000 more couples living together in Ohio identified themselves as gay or lesbian in 2010 than in 2000, data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows.

Same-sex partner households grew at a 51 percent clip in Ohio, and now total 28,602, according to the detailed household 2010 Census figures released Thursday. The census bureau has so far released this information for 27 states, including Ohio, and Puerto Rico.

Growth was huge everywhere for this demographic. California, which has been historically gay-friendly, at 36 percent had the lowest growth in same-sex co-habiting, though Puerto Rico showed a decrease from 2000.

The increase signifies more than gay and lesbian couples living together and just being comfortable identifying themselves as such, said Ed Mullen, director of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights group Equality Ohio.

"When I was a kid and you were gay or lesbian or transgender, you moved to New York City or San Francisco," Mullen said. "People don't feel that pressure to move to the big cities in the same way."

Generally, Mullen said, people are going to feel more forthcoming with this information in cities where they are protected from discrimination. There are 28 cities in Ohio, mostly major metros or their suburbs, that have such a law, according to the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio.

Phil Burress, president of the Citizens for Community Values, disputed the accuracy of the Census numbers. His group spearheaded the 2004 campaign that led to a constitutional amendment prohibiting same-sex marriages and civil unions in Ohio.

Burress argues that college students and siblings could be counted unintentionally as same-sex couples, though the 2010 Census questionnaire asks for gender and relationship, including checkboxes for "brother or sister" or "unmarried partner" between household members.

Regardless, Burress said, the count is inflated. Until the Census asks if same-sex couples living together are having sex, he said in an email, "we can't assume they are homosexuals."

Columbus, with more than 4,000 same-sex couples, tops the list of Ohio cities.

"Columbus is one of the most LGBT-friendly cities in the Midwest, if not the country," Mullen said.

A lot has changed since 2004, including:

The end of the military policy known as "Don't Ask Don't Tell."

Legalization of gay marriage in New York, Iowa, Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, New Hampshire and the District of Columbia.

Burress said he senses little momentum for the gay-rights movement in Ohio. He believes Ohioans are even more opposed to same-sex marriage now than they were in 2004, when the amendment was approved with 62 percent of the vote.

In June 2009, a Quinnipiac University poll found 60 percent of state residents opposed same-sex marriage, but were evenly divided on civil unions. The university has not asked the question since.

Statistics showing growth in same-sex couples isn't what's persuasive, Mullen said. Rather, it's the increasing interaction among LGBT people and their neighbors. This everyday exposure at school, church or the workplace is changing attitudes, he said.

First, he said, Ohio would be well-served to adopt statewide protections for discrimination against LGBT people. The next step would be erasing other barriers.

"If we have this conversation again in 2020, I will be surprised if we still have the constitutional amendment banning gay marriage and civil unions in Ohio," Mullen said.