Same-Sex Couples' Shared Time in the United States

• In Event: 452 - Section on the Sociology of the Family. New Data and Research Approaches for Studying Families

Abstract

This study examines and compares shared time for same-sex and different-sex co-resident couples using a large, nationally representative dataset from the American Time Use Survey (ATUS). We are able to identify 297 same-sex female couples and 228 same-sex male couples, and we calculate the total time these couples spend together, the time they spend with no one else present, and, for parents, the time they spend together with children. Even after controlling for demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of the couples, same-sex female couples spend more time together, both alone and in total, than different-sex and same-sex male couples, regardless of parenthood status. The same-sex women also spend a larger percentage of their total available time together than other couples, and the difference in time is not limited to any specific activity. Finally, we do not find differences in family time for parents by relationship type.

Authors

• Katie Genadek

• Joan Garcia Roman

• Sarah M. Flood, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities