Media Matters for America * RSS * About * Contact * Follow us on Google + * Follow us on Twitter * Follow us on Facebook * DONATE * Blog * Video * Research * Issues + Diversity & Discrimination + Economy + Education + Elections + Environment & Science + Government + Health Care + Immigration + Justice & Civil Liberties + Media Structures & Regulations + National Security & Foreign Policy [ul-issues-shadow-bottom.png] * Mythopedia * TAKE ACTION * Follow us on Google + * Follow us on Twitter * Follow us on Facebook * DONATE Fox News Entertains Discredited Notion That Same-Sex Marriage Is Causing A Decline In Heterosexual Marriage Blog >>> October 13, 2014 10:00 PM EDT >>> OLIVIA MARSHALL IFRAME: //www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fmm4a.org%2F1CffUH6&ref=index&send=false&layout=button_count&width=90&show_faces=false&action=like&colorscheme=light&font&height=20 IFRAME: //platform.twitter.com/widgets/tweet_button.html?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmm4a.org%2F1CffUH6&counturl=http://mediamatters.org/blog/2014/10/13/fox-news-entertains-discredited-notion-that-sam/201141&text=Fox News Entertains Discredited Notion That Same-Sex Marriage Is Causing A Decline In Heterosexual Marriage ? [icon-comments.png] Print Email Baier-SSM Fox News amplified the discredited right-wing claim that the legalization of same-sex marriage plays a part in the declining rate of heterosexual marriage. On the October 13 edition of Special Report, host Bret Baier claimed "traditional marriage" has faced a number of obstacles this year, including the legalization of same-sex marriage in Alaska. Fox correspondent Shannon Bream cited a variety of factors that could explain the decline in heterosexual marriage, including the legalization of same-sex marriage in many states: IFRAME: http://mediamatters.org/embed/static/clips/2014/10/13/37156/fnc-specialreport-20141013-marriagedecline The idea that same-sex marriage somehow discourages heterosexual marriage has been embraced by extreme anti-LGBT rights groups like the Family Research Council and Focus on the Family, but has no basis in fact. The Atlantic also pointed out that the link is unsubstantiated, because the decline in heterosexual marriage came before the rise of gay marriage: Out-of-wedlock births and delayed marriage were already underway before the 1990s, when gay acceptance took off. This suggests that gay marriage isn't leading to the decline of marriage. Rather, the "decline" of marriage happened to pique media interest at the same time that homophobia got smoked -- in entertainment, in federal law, and in wedding chapels. A study conducted by researchers at Portland State University's School of Community Health also concluded that same-sex marriage legalization does not affect heterosexual marriage rates: A deleterious effect on rates of opposite sex marriage has been argued to be a motivating factor for both the withholding and the elimination of existing rights of same sex couples to marry by policy makers-including presiding justices of current litigation over the rights of same sex couples to legally marry. Such claims do not appear credible in the face of the existing evidence, and we conclude that rates of opposite sex marriages are not affected by legalization of same sex civil unions or same sex marriages. IFRAME: //www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fmm4a.org%2F1CffUH6&ref=article&send=false&layout=box_count&width=90&show_faces=false&action=like&colorscheme=light&font&height=20 IFRAME: //platform.twitter.com/widgets/tweet_button.html?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmm4a.org%2F1CffUH6&counturl=http://mediamatters.org/blog/2014/10/13/fox-news-entertains-discredited-notion-that-sam/201141&count=vertical&text=Fox News Entertains Discredited Notion That Same-Sex Marriage Is Causing A Decline In Heterosexual Marriage Short Link ____________________ copy link Posted in Diversity & Discrimination, LGBT Network/Outlet Fox News Channel Person Bret Baier, Shannon Bream Show/Publication Special Report with Bret Baier We've changed our commenting system to Disqus. Instructions for signing up and claiming your comment history are located here. Updated rules for commenting are here. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. blog comments powered by Disqus search______________ Search Options >> xADVANCED SEARCH Keyword(s) ____________________ Date Range MM/DD/YYYY__________ >>> MM/DD/YYYY__________ Search ABOUT THE BLOG Our blog section features rapid response fact-checks of conservative misinformation, links to media criticism from around the web, commentary, analysis and breaking news from Media Matters' senior fellows, investigative team, researchers and other staff. FOLLOW US >>> * Follow * Like on Facebook * Recommend on Google * Follow on Tumblr tumblr. * Subscribe * View our pin boards Follow on Pinterest * Sign up for our mailing lists Email Signup [sidebar-shadow.png] Olivia Marshall >>> [om-bio.jpg] * All posts> Olivia Marshall is a researcher at Media Matters. Previously, she worked on Capitol Hill for Senator Jim Webb. She graduated magna cum laude from Virginia Tech with a degree in English. 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