Gays Still Can't Marry in Florida, but Straights Sure Can Divorce

flickr.comThough certain Florida politicians would have you believe they are dutifully "protecting" marriage with laws preventing gay people from legally marrying, a new list of America's 50 "Divorce Capitals" has more cities from the Sunshine State than anywhere else.The website, the Daily Beast, put the list together, ranking cities by...

By Michael J. Mooney

October 19, 2010

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Though certain Florida politicians would have you believe they are dutifully "protecting" marriage with laws preventing gay people from legally marrying, a new list of America's 50 "Divorce Capitals" has more cities from the Sunshine State than anywhere else.

The website, the Daily Beast, put the list together, ranking cities by what percentage of the population is divorced. Of all the places in the world, Panama City tops the list, with 15.5 percent of the total population divorced and a divorce rate of 4.3 percent last year.

Four Florida cities are in the top ten, and there are 12 on this list of 50.

Other cities in the top ten were Deltona (number 6), Palm Bay (8), and Jacksonville (9).

Miami is number 26, with a total divorced population of 12.9 percent and a 2009 divorce rate of 2.8 percent.

Port St. Lucie, Bradenton, Orlando, Homosassa Springs, Tampa, Cape Coral, and Ocala are all on the list. Florida, which voted on gay marriage in 2008, dominates the list.

So if conservative politicians are protecting marriage from anything in Florida, it sure isn't divorce.

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