Revisiting Marriage and Physical and Mental Health Among Partnered Gay and Lesbian Adults: An Analysis of Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Data, 2014–2023

The mental health advantage among married gay men highlights the importance of symbolic resources such as social recognition. Overall, however, the findings did not support the marital advantage theory among partnered lesbian and gay individuals, potentially due to the weaker institutionalization of same-sex marriage and elevated couple-level minority stress. Future research should further investigate sexual minority health within family contexts, incorporating diverse gender and sexual identities.