What is it about?
Women in heterosexual relationships often face larger financial setbacks after a separation than men because paid work and caregiving are divided unequally during the relationship, and because children usually live with them afterward. We show that women in same-sex couples have smaller financial losses after separation, likely because they share work and care more equally during their relationship. However, this advantage changes once couples have children. Parenthood plays a key role, and especially for birth mothers, the financial consequences are much larger. Regardless of whether they are partnered with a man or a woman, birth mothers are worse off after separation. This suggests that financial losses are greatest when one parent does most of the childcare.
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Why is it important?
This matters because it shows that even in more equal relationships, inequality can re-emerge when childcare is not shared. It points to the need for policies that support shared care, both during relationships and after separation.
Perspectives
I really enjoyed working on this study because it highlights two important points. First, it helps us better understand family dynamics for a group that has received less attention in demographic research. As families become more diverse, our research needs to reflect that diversity. Second, same-sex couples offer a unique lens on how gender shapes inequality in society. By studying them, we can better understand which inequalities are tied to gender and which persist regardless of who people partner with.
Maaike van der Vleuten
Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute - Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: How parenthood affects the economic consequences of separation for women in same-sex and different-sex couples, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, April 2026, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2537398123.
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