What states can gays get married
Introduction
Same sex marriage – also known as gay marriage – is legal at the federal level in the Combined States since However, laws differ at the state level. A majority of states have allowed same sex marriage. These states contain Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, Fresh Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Fresh York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. While the majority of states now allow similar sex marriage, there are still some states where it remains prohibited. These states include Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Texas.
It is worth noting that the first state to legalize same sex marriage in the Together States was Massachusetts, which did so in Since then, there has been a growing trend of acceptance
The Journey to Marriage Equality in the Together States
The road to nationwide marriage equality was a long one, spanning decades of United States history and culminating in victory in June Throughout the long fight for marriage equality, HRC was at the forefront.
Volunteer with HRC
From gathering supporters in small towns across the country to rallying in front of the Supreme Court of the Merged States, we gave our all to ensure every person, regardless of whom they love, is acknowledged equally under the law.
A Growing Call for Equality
Efforts to legalize same-sex marriage began to pop up across the country in the s, and with it challenges on the state and national levels. Civil unions for queer couples existed in many states but created a separate but equal common. At the federal level, couples were denied access to more than 1, federal rights and responsibilities associated with the institution, as well as those denied by their given state. The Defense of Marriage Act was signed into law in and defined marriage by the federal government as between a man and
Marriage & Relationship Recognition Laws
States with the freedom to marry execute not ban same-sex couples from entering into legal marriages. Some states also offer comprehensive relationship recognition, such as domestic partnerships or civil unions, to same- and different-sex couples. However, most states still have constitutional amendments, statutes, or both banning marriage for same-sex couples, even after the Supreme Court case Obergefell extended marriage equality nationwide. For more on the current status of state marriage laws, see MAP's report: Underneath Obergefell: A National Patchwork of Marriage Laws.
Marriage equality for same-sex couples(50 states , 5 territories + D.C.)
Comprehensive civil union or domestic partnership statute (9 states + D.C.)
State has targeted religious exemption law (see note)
Citations & More Information
Movement Advancement Project. "Equality Maps: Marriage & Partnership Recognition Laws." Accessed 07/23/
NOTE: Kansas pe
MAP Report: The National Patchwork of Marriage Laws Underneath Obergefell
Rebecca Farmer, Movement Advancement Project
rebecca@ | ext
As the Respect for Marriage Act moves through Congress, MAP’s March report on the landscape of varying state marriage laws around the country is a resource. MAP researchers are present to answer questions and our infographics are available for use.
MAP’s report, Underneath Obergefell, explores the patchwork of marriage laws around the country. The report highlights the fact that a majority of states still have existing laws on the books that would ban marriage for same-sex couples – even though those laws are currently unenforceable under the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Obergefell.
If the U.S. Supreme Court were to revisit the Obergefell decision, the ability of gay couples to marry could again fall to the states, where a majority of states still have in place both bans in the law and in state constitutions.
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