A few months ago a bunch of coworkers were commenting on the low maternal death rate for Latinas. Of course, some of them looked over at me and I replied, "We're built for making babies!" We have the hips, boobs, and belly for carrying babies. Of course, I hope you all see my tongue planted firmly in my cheek.

But today's Chicago Sun-Times reveals that Latina lesbian couples have a higher percentage of kids than other lesbian couples. In fact 1 in 2 Latina lesbian couples are raising a kid. They attribute this to the fact that more Latinas take longer to come out or try to live the hetero lifestyle by marrying and having kids. They also note that Latino gay couples also have a higher rate of having children than other gay couples. Again, attributed to the conservative culture of Latinos and possibly more Latino/as attempting to live the hetero lifestyle. The percentage goes even higher for couples where both partners are Latino: "The study also finds that roughly two-thirds of same-sex couples in which both partners are Hispanic are raising children"

I also wonder if the lower age of childbirth adds to this. "Latino teen birth rates increased by 30 percent between 1980 and 1992 while nonLatino rates increased by only 6 percent." If Latinas are having more babies at 16, is there really time for them all to know that they are lesbian? Or even more so, perhaps part of the high rate of sexual activity is due to proving that they aren't lesbian? Seriously, I'm just thinking out loud here. But I do believe that the article's ignoring the high teen birth rate is a major hole.

The press release has a lot of great information in it and I'm sure the full report is an excellent read. It'll go on my to-do list. I loved this angle thou:

For these reasons, the study finds that Hispanic same-sex couples have much to gain from the legal protections of marriage and nondiscrimination protections - and much to lose when states prohibit same-sex marriage and other forms of partner recognition.

There's stats on the high rate of military service with Latina lesbians, the lower economic status of Latino same-sex couples, etc. The stats for Chicago are amazing:

Demographics
-According to the 2000 U.S. Census there are approximately 3,5001 Hispanic same-sex couple households in the Chicago, IL metropolitan area. Approximately 4 percent of all Hispanic same-sex couple households in the US are in the Chicago, IL metropolitan area.
-Seventeen percent of all same-sex couple households in the Chicago, IL metropolitan area are Hispanic same-sex couple households.

Parenting
-Fifty-nine percent of Hispanic female same-sex couples and 45 percent of Hispanic male same-sex couples are raising at least one child under the age of 18.
-Fifty percent of Hispanic female same-sex couples and 39 percent of Hispanic male same-sex couples are raising at least one biological child under the age of 18.
-Three percent of both male and female Hispanic same-sex couples are raising at least one nonbiological (fostered or adopted) child under the age of 18.

Immigration and citizenship status
-Fifty-eight percent of men in Hispanic same-sex couples and 56 percent of women in Hispanic same-sex couples report that they were born outside of the US.
-Thirty-eight percent of men in Hispanic same-sex couples and 28 percent of women in Hispanic same-sex couples are not U.S. citizens.

Income
-The median annual household income for Hispanic male same-sex couple households is $48,000. The median annual household income for Hispanic female same-sex couple households is $53,000.
-Six percent of Hispanic female same-sex couple households and 5 percent of Hispanic male same-sex couple households report that they received public assistance3 in 1999.
Residence
-Thirty-nine percent of Hispanic male same-sex couple households and 57 percent of Hispanic female same-sex couple households report that they own the home in which they live.

Employment
-Sixty-four percent of men in Hispanic same-sex couples and 76 percent of women in Hispanic same-sex couples report working full-time.
-Twenty-one percent of men in Hispanic same-sex couples and 22 percent of women in Hispanic same-sex couples report that they did not work in 1999.
-Six percent of men in Hispanic same-sex couples and 15 percent of women in Hispanic same-sex couples work in the public sector.

Military service
- Six percent of men in Hispanic same-sex couples and 3 percent of women in Hispanic same-sex couples report military service.

Those stats are from the Chicago Fact Sheet. They are also fact sheets for Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Phoenix, San Antonio, San Diego, and San Francisco.

Labels: latina