The New York Daily News reports on a study in the Journal of Public Health indicating that same-sex marriage equality may produce a healthier gay male population, single and married alike. In states where same-sex marriage has been legalized, the study says, gay men make fewer doctor visits, which lowers their health care costs. This indicates that marriage equality “may produce broad public health benefits by reducing the occurrence of stress-related health conditions,” says Mark Hatzenbuehler, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health & Society Scholar at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health.

The study of 1200 patients at a Massachusetts clinic took place during 2003 over a 12 month period when Mass. became the first state to legalize gay marriage, the Daily News says. Health care visits to the clinic dropped by 13% which in turn dropped health care costs by 14%. This decrease in doctor visits is being enjoyed by both single and married gay men.

Amazing what not feeling like a second-class citizen will do for your sense of well-being. … And probably in turn your overall well-being, which we’re sure has good effects on your colleagues, family and country. Right?