Current situation
Currently, 37
states, and Washington DC, have legalized same- sex marriage. That covers a
majority of the US population. DC sets its own marriage law, because its not
legally a state.
26 out of
37 states approved same-sex marriage by court decision
Alabama (Feb. 9, 2015)
Alaska (Oct. 17, 2014)
Arizona (Oct. 17, 2014)
California (June 28, 2013)
Colorado (Oct. 7, 2014)
Connecticut (Nov. 12, 2008)
Florida (Jan. 6, 2015)
Idaho (Oct. 13, 2014)
Indiana (Oct. 6, 2014)
8 states legalized it by state legislature
Delaware (July 1, 2013),
3 did it by state vote
Maine (Dec. 29, 2012),
· 13 states still ban the same-sex marriage.
·
12
do this by the constitutional Amendment and the state law
Arkansas (2004, 1997)
Nebraska
in 2000 is the only state which bans it by constitutional Amendment only.
8
states where gay marriage bans have been overturned, but where appeals are in progress
Arkansas
Kentucky
Colorado is the only
state to allow civil unions but not marriage between same-sex couples.
Since gay
marriage is now legal in 37 states, should they be allowed to marry nationwide?
This is a question/ debate Maria Coyle from
the national law journal
talks about in this video.
In 2012 the hip
hop duo Macklemore and Ryan Lewis released a song on that theme, it is named”
Same Love”. The track talks about the issue of gay and lesbian rights and was
recorded during the campaign for Washington Referendum 74, which legalized
same-sex marriage in Washington State in 2012. The song was nominated at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards
for the Song of the year.
I hope todays
post gave you a good overview about the beginnings of the debate and about the
current situation of the same-sex marriage. Let´s see what happens next according on that
subject and if one day it will become legal all over the United States.
Sources:
Alaska (Oct. 17, 2014)
Arizona (Oct. 17, 2014)
California (June 28, 2013)
Colorado (Oct. 7, 2014)
Connecticut (Nov. 12, 2008)
Florida (Jan. 6, 2015)
Idaho (Oct. 13, 2014)
Indiana (Oct. 6, 2014)
