super-structure

The Pew Research Center has put up a nice, interactive graphic showing some marriage statistics by state. So, based on what we’ve always been told, you might expect liberal states — especially those which have allowed same sex marriages — to have some of the worst numbers.

It doesn’t really pan out that way, though. In particular, the states with the highest percentage of men having been married three or more times are some of the reddest of the red states: Arkansas (10%), Oklahoma (9%), Tennessee (9%), Alabama (8%), and Mississippi (8%). The state with the lowest percentage in this category? Blue, gay-lovin’ Massachusetts at 2% (stats aren’t much different for women, incidentally). So much for the gays ruining marriage; we heterosexuals seem to be devaluing that hallowed institution just fine on our own.