On June 15th, 2015, marriage between same-sexcouples became the law throughout the United States. As many celebrated andwalked down the aisle, years later, many chose to end their relationships bygetting a divorce. In fact, the Williams Institute research showed thatsame-sex marriages are ending at a rate of 1.1% annually, compared with roughly2% annually for different sex married couples. One of the most overlookeddemographics is same sex divorce, yet the challenges remain just as complex andcostly as heterosexual divorces. As a result, this group tends to beunderserved and resources for help and guidance remain minimal.
Today, an estimated 823,000 same-sex couples are marriedin the United States, and those couples are raising nearly 300,000children under the age of 18. In fact, 18% of married same-sex couples areraising children in their homes.
But LGBTQ+ families aren't defined only by marriage.
Millions of LGBTQ+ adults are parents, including people whoare single, divorced, separated, widowed, or raising children outside of atraditional two-parent household. The Williams Institute estimates thatapproximately 2.5 million LGBTQ+ adults are raising children under 18.
Divorce Can Change Everything
When an LGBTQ+ marriage ends, the emotional challenges ofdivorce are often accompanied by very practical concerns. However, given thatmarriage equality is relatively new, the support community for queer divorces issmall and relying on family members for support can often be convoluted inopinions and judgements. Other concerns exist, such as: Where will the childrenlive? How will expenses be divided? What happens to the family home? How willchild support or alimony be maintained if a parent loses a job, becomesdisabled, dies, or experiences a serious financial setback?
For LGBTQ+ parents, there can also be additionalconsiderations involving adoption, foster parenting, biological children,stepparent relationships, custody, and establishing or maintaining legalparental rights. With state laws changing consistently, often negativelytowards the LGBTQ+ community, having the proper support team is crucial on manylevels.
And for an LGBTQ+ parent who is already raising childrenalone, financial stability can be just as important—even without a divorce.
This Is Where NASDF Can Help
The National Association for Single and Divorced Families(NASDF) was created to help all people, regardless rebuild strongerfoundations after divorce or while navigating life as a single-familyhousehold.
NASDF provides a broad range of resources designed aroundthe realities of family life—including access to free mental-health resources,career assistance, legal and mediation resources, healthcare support, familyservices, financial resources, and other member benefits.
Financial protection becomes more of a priority when onespouse relies on the other for support to maintain a stable home for themselvesand their children. Support Insuredis the only insurance product on the market that provides a crucial layer offinancial protection. The program is designed to help protect qualifyingchild-support and alimony payments when certain unexpected events occur,including the payor's death, disability, involuntary unemployment, or businessbankruptcy. Under this policy, payments will continue for up to one-year andeither the payor or the payee can purchase it. The best part, it’s affordable.
Whether you're a married same-sex couple going through adivorce, a divorced LGBTQ+ parent raising children, a single LGBTQ+ parent, orpart of another type of LGBTQ+ family, the need is the same: support,resources, stability and a community that understands that families don't alllook the same.
NASDF isn't about defining what a family should look like.
It's about helping families move forward when life changes.
Because divorce may change a family structure—but it doesn'tchange the importance of protecting the people within it.
NASDF is here to help LGBTQ+ individuals and familiesrebuild stronger foundations for what comes next.
*You can join NASDF by visiting www.NASDF.org for just $19 per month.
