How The Gays Can Save Us

I've got a simple, cost-free proposal for stimulating the economy: legalize gay marriage.

Forget your politics. Shelve your bigotry. Just listen to the numbers....

The average American wedding costs $20,000. The number of gay couples living together without the benefit of marriage is estimated at 3 million. Using those numbers, same-sex marriages could pump an estimated additional $60 billion in revenue into our ailing economy. That doesn't even include money from the pre-wedding parties, honeymoons, or wedding registries. (Pottery Barn is going to love this post...) I suspect that gay marriage would be celebrated with the same outrageous excess as heterosexual unions. Not that everyone can afford a wedding like Ellen Degeneres and Portia DeRossi's elaborate celebration...but even some vows at city hall followed by a nice dinner with friends would help more than a $300 tax rebate. In fact, that $60 billion in revenue is all taxable!

Think about the number of jobs that would be created. The Association of Bridal Consultants say that on average 43 professionals are needed to service the average American wedding: florists, caterers, reception planners, photographers, travel agents, hotels, airlines, jewelers and bakeries just to name a few who would directly benefit from this huge infusion of cash....not to mention the divorce attorneys.

Picking and choosing what kind of love is worth recognizing is an expensive choice. Is discrimination worth that price?

It seems to me, the ailing economy might just be gay marriage proponent's new bff.

(Written with James C. Elbaor)

Comments

[JohnBisceglia]

Hetero-Taxpayers would FREAK if they knew how often a gay divorce ends up with one party on welfare, and the TOTAL cost involved. I know first hand. Of course, if Hetero-taxpayers thought about it for a second, they'd realize that:

A - Bad relationships happen to ALL Love-Orientations.
B - Hetero-Divorce mainly impacts each party's finances.
C - Queer-Divorce solely impacts society when one party is evil-selfi­sh-vengefu­l.

Do the math - America. If HETS have a 50% divorce rate......

[mcook]

The title is a little bold, but this could certainly help out a little bit if nothing else. Capitalism is wonderful in many ways, not the least of which is forcing people to adhere to the bottom line of a solid profit. I don't want to go too far with this comparison but in the 60's the black community boycotted a number of industries to make a point, and those industries quickly realized discrimination is bad for business. Perhaps the unintentional boycott on weddings by gays should be brought to some politicians' attention.

[caroline from tonic]

Genius. Seriously, we all need to think outside the proverbial box like this? We get so wrapped up in clashing belief systems that we forget the actual logistics. Yes, it's a civil rights issue and so obviously a no-brainer to most of us -- but to the rest, it stands to reason that it's a practical one to boot. Can we get wedding planners and bakeries to cast their votes STAT???

[bestgaycities]

What a great article. Everyone should have to right to be a couple if they want to. Marriage, union, domestic partner - whatever.

[JohnFromCensornati]

Scoff now, but it might just come to that. After all, money talks and bullshit walks.

[thegaygardener]

I just KNEW that someday the Country would turn to us in its hour of need.

[Marco]

And don't forget the resulting anniversary parties, gifts, etc.

My spouse's brother and his partner are celebrating 25 years together this year and are having a grand party in a major US city this Spring.

By encouraging couples to stay together, we as a society also get to reap the financial benefits that result from congratulating them and celebrating their lives together.

Celebrating anybody's love in this crazy, nutso world should be incentive enough, but for those who are fiscally-minded as well, same gender marriages still look very attractive.

[itmaybetoolate]

Don't forget the wedding presents and anniversary presents! I won't since I've never gotten any (although "married" for 13 years).