Gay and lesbian couples may face psychological and social harm for being disallowed from marriage.

Gilbert Herdt, an SF State professor and director of human sexuality studies, co-authored a study entitled “I do, but I can’t,” showing that denying gay and lesbian individuals the right to marry can cause them to suffer.

In a figure that Herdt has said is “lowball,” the 2000 census counted 594,391 same-sex couples living together in the United States, and the study suggests that many of the individuals in those relationships experience stress over being denied the right to marry.

Young people who are gay, particularly in the high school or college level, have had a significantly higher rate of suicidal tendencies as opposed to those who are heterosexual. The study concluded that their reasons for depression, anxiety, or suicide were not because they were gay, but because they felt inadequate for the reason that they cannot marry.

Biochemistry Junior Vi Le, who is also a member of the SF State Queer Alliance, can understand why emotional problems follow the denial of marriage.

“I plan on a big white wedding,” he said. “All we want is equality.”

While it has been proven that there is no association with homosexuality and mental illness, there is a heightened level of stress-related disorders among the gay community.

According to the study, people who are married do better financially and physically, which is a status that gay couples are denied.

“Americans think people who aren’t married aren’t normal,” Herdt said.

Those who are not married, or cannot marry, feel left out or somehow inadequate, Herdt said. This is similar to what some minorities may experience with minority stress.

Theatre major Bradley Zeledon, and executive director of Queer Alliance is frustrated at the thought of the government picking and choosing which people can have rights.

“Why do minorities have to fight so hard for something they deserve?” Zeledon said.

The study included two areas; the first was a scientific study that looked at behavior while the other was a meta-analysis, which consisted of 150 studies that looked at relationships, marriages, and wellbeing over the past 15 years.

“Gays and lesbians are psychologically fit to have children and be married,” Herdt said. “Gay and lesbian members of society have a deep cultural wish to marry because of their parents, church or friends.”

According to testimony on the Web site www.sexliteracy.org, Leah Crask and her partner Teresa Weeks are involved in a committed same-sex relationship and have a child together. They have experienced great amounts of stress from their relationship because of their situation.

They have been partners since July 2003 and were married in March 2004, but for only a short amount of time due to the nullification of their marriage because of California laws.

“(Marriage) has made a huge difference to us and made a huge impact on our families,” Crask said.

She said it made a huge impact on her parents because they knew she was serious about being with Weeks. Because of the marriage that may have only lasted a short while, her parents have been able to think of them as a family and see their son as their child.

“My family relates to him as a child in a marriage,” Crask said.

Other denial factors associated with gay and lesbian couples, such as health care and adoption can cause trauma, Herdt said at a press conference in February.

“In order to break the cycle due to marriage denial we recommend immediate change,” Herdt said.