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class="styl_ntaer__ZKkl3" data-activy-map="social-share-lks-article-top" data-ttid="social-share-menu"><li data-ttid="social-share-facebook" class="styl_em__b5A78 styl_facebook__bOW_X"><a href=" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="styl_lk__RsJVU"><span class="in in-share-facebook"></span></a></li><li data-ttid="social-share-twter" class="styl_em__b5A78 styl_twter__ww7sF"><a href="(and%20Can't)%20Gay%20Coupl%20Get%20Married%3F&via=nbews& target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="styl_lk__RsJVU"><span class="in in-twter"></span></a></li><li data-ttid="social-share-ptert" class="styl_em__b5A78 styl_ptert__CaMm1"><a href=" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="styl_lk__RsJVU"><span class="in in-share-ptert"></span></a></li><li data-ttid="social-share-email" class="styl_em__b5A78"><a href="mailto:?subject=Where Can (and Can't) Gay Coupl Get Married?& target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="styl_lk__RsJVU"><span class="in 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UTC<span> / </span>Updated<!-- --> <!-- -->May 25, 2014, 3:51 PM UTC</time></div></sectn><div class="article-body__ntent article-body-font--loadg"><p class="">If the past week is any ditn, gay marriage is g to a state near you — and soon.</p><p class="">On Monday, <a href=">Oregon beme the 18th state</a> to allow same-sex marriag. On Tuday, <a href=">Pennsylvania beme the 19th</a>. The next day, platiffs Montana filed the first challenge to the ban on gay marriage there, and the day after that, the same thg happened South Dakota — leavg North Dakota as the lone state wh a ban that hasn't been challenged.</p><div class="ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer boxleAd dn-prt" data-ttid="ad__ntaer"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxle" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[]],[[758,1],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[728,90],[360,360]]],[[0,0],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[360,360]]]]" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-offset-viewport="100" data-ttid="ad__ntaer__ner"></div></div><div id="taboolaReadMoreBelow"></div><p class="">"There really is not another issue out there that has gaed so much support so fast," said Charl Jough, natnal prs secretary for Human Rights Campaign, a civil rights anizatn that works for lbian, gay, bisexual and transgenr equal rights.</p><sectn class="le-vio le-vio---body"><div class="le-vio__background"><div class="le-vio__player"><div class="vioPlayer styl_vioPlayer__bL8AJ styl_adNotPlayg__Q51_C styl_alignDktopBottom__4cHaO styl_alignMobileBottom__bhgkQ" data-ttid="vio-player"><div class="vioSlate"><a href=" class="allowClicksOnPreview"><picture class=""><source media="(m-width: 1240px)" srcSet="><source media="(m-width: 758px)" srcSet="><img loadg="lazy" src="></picture></a><div class="playButtonOuter absolute absolute-fill w100 dn-prt"><div class="absolute absolute-fill w100 df ems-center ems-center-m jtify-center jtify-center-m"><div class="play le-vio__play-button"><svg class="play--in" xmlns=" viewBox="0 0 15 15" prerveAspectRat="xMidYMid" style="max-width:30px"><path d="M0 0v15l15-7.41z" fill-le="evenodd"></path></svg></div></div></div></div><div id="42624069836"></div></div></div></div><div class="le-vio__"><h2 class="le-vio__tle"><a href=">Gay Couple Be Fay At Last</a></h2><span class="le-vio__tail"><span>May 24, 2014</span><span>01:35</span></span><div class="styl_share__n3Syu le-vio__share dn-prt"><div class="styl_shareExpanr__hVk8d le-vio__share-expanr styl_hoverEffect___Dj4s"><span class="styl_shareDot__9pfRZ le-vio__share-dot"></span><svg class="styl_shareClose__6BZxR le-vio__share-close" viewBox="0 0 15 15"><le class="styl_shareLe__EJUjO" x1="0" x2="15" y1="0" y2="15"></le><le class="styl_shareLe__EJUjO" x1="0" x2="15" y1="15" y2="0"></le></svg></div><div class="styl_shareList___M8wC le-vio__share-list"><a href=" class="styl_shareLk__gSGN3" target="_blank" rel="noopen noreferrer"><span class="in in-facebook styl_shareIn__lVnRm le-vio__share-in"></span></a><a href=" class="styl_shareLk__gSGN3" target="_blank" rel="noopen noreferrer"><span class="in in-twter styl_shareIn__lVnRm le-vio__share-in"></span></a><a href="mailto:?subject=Gay Couple Be Fay At Last& class="styl_shareLk__gSGN3" target="_blank" rel="noopen noreferrer"><span class="in in-email styl_shareIn__lVnRm le-vio__share-in"></span></a></div></div></div></sectn><p class="">The gas marriage equaly have been a victory for not jt gay upl, but for their fai.</p><p class="">Ever sce Ben Wt and Pl Rummell of Portland, Ore., started fosterg an 8-year-old named Jay 2012, the ltle boy who had been passed om foster home to foster home had one qutn: "When am I gog to have a forever fay?"</p><figure class="styl_leImage__yAWZ0 styl_medium__OMa6x"><picture class="styl_image__1qciH"><source media="(m-width: 1000px)" srcSet=" 2x, 1x"/><source srcSet=" 2x, 1x"/><img loadg="lazy" src=" alt="Image: Ben Wt Wt, Pl Rummell" height="1764" width="2310"/></picture><figptn class="ptn styl_ptn__Pe5JC"><span class="ptn__ntaer" data-ttid="ptn__ntaer">Platiffs Ben Wt, left, and Pl Rummell walk to feral urt Eugene, Ore., on April 23, 2014. The two celebrated Oregon's lg last Monday overturng the ban on same-sex marriage, and plan to get married the near future.</span><span class="ptn__source">Don Ryan / AP</span></figptn></figure><p class="">Wt and Rummell — two platiffs Oregon's se to reverse the ban on same-sex marriage — formally adopted Jay Febary. But wasn't until Monday that the uple, who had held an rmal mment ceremony before iends and fay 2010, felt they uld tly be a fay.</p><div class="ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer boxleAd dn-prt" data-ttid="ad__ntaer"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxle" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[]],[[758,1],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[728,90],[360,360]]],[[0,0],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[360,360]]]]" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-offset-viewport="100" data-ttid="ad__ntaer__ner"></div></div><p class="">"The lg brought validy to [Jay's] forever fay, that we as a society regnize his fay is important and that we're takg on the rponsibily to raise this child that didn't get the right start at life and we're makg sure that he has every opportuny to grow and be a wonrful, healthy person," the 35-year-old Wt said, chokg up.</p><p class="">Sce Wt and Rummell met 2006, they've seen a huge change attus toward gay rights. The uple never nsired leavg Oregon, where they have fay gog back for generatns, to marry. Now they don't have to, and are planng a small ceremony shortly after Wt fish nursg school a uple of weeks.</p><p class="">"The mood the natn has changed so dramatilly," Wt said. "People's stereotyp and thoughts around this issue are startg to cmble bee they're startg to see our fai out more and visible. And younger people are begng to speak up and say, 'This is such a non-issue for .'"</p><p class="">Here is the stat of gay marriage across the Uned Stat, now permted 19 stat pl Washgton, D.C.</p><h2 class="">Where gay marriage is allowed, and the public perceptn</h2><p class="">Bis Oregon and Pennsylvania, the stat allow gay marriage: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Illois, Mae, Maryland, Massachetts, Mnota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexi, New York, Rho Island, Vermont, and Washgton.</p><p class="">Three other stat allow civil unns or domtic partnerships for same-sex upl: Colorado, Nevada and Wisns.</p><div class="ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer boxleAd dn-prt" data-ttid="ad__ntaer"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxle" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[]],[[758,1],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[728,90],[360,360]]],[[0,0],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[360,360]]]]" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-offset-viewport="100" data-ttid="ad__ntaer__ner"></div></div><p class="">The trend toward gay marriage has picked up steam. Half of the stat where same-sex upl n legally marry passed their laws 2013.</p><figure class="styl_leImage__yAWZ0 styl_medium__OMa6x styl_noCaptn__KOOim"><picture class="styl_image__1qciH"><source media="(m-width: 1000px)" srcSet=" 2x, 1x"/><source srcSet=" 2x, 1x"/><img loadg="lazy" src=" alt="" height="883" width="1653"/></picture><figptn class="ptn styl_ptn__Pe5JC"><span class="ptn__source">msnbc</span></figptn></figure><p class="">Forty-four percent of Amerins now live a state that allows gay marriage. A Washgton Post-ABC News poll March found that <a href="|utmc=%28anic%29|utmcmd=anic|utmctr=%28not%20provid%29&__utmv=-&__utmk=229">59 percent of Amerins</a> support gay and lbians beg allowed to legally marry.</p><p class="">"Amerins across the board are supportg marriage equaly recent numbers," said Jough, of the Human Rights Campaign. "That number go up virtually every sgle day."</p><h2 class="">Where are the current gay marriage battlefields?</h2><p class="">Natnwi, there are currently more than 70 marriage equaly s that have been filed 29 stat, pl Puerto Ri, acrdg to Human Rights Campaign.</p><p class="">Meanwhile, judg 11 stat have issued lgs favor of same-sex marriage, but many of those lgs have been stayed as they proceed to appellate urts: Judg have stck down gay marriage bans Arkansas, Idaho, Michigan, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and Virgia. In Indiana, Kentucky, Oh and Tennsee, judg have issued more limed pro-marriage lgs.</p><sectn class="le-vio le-vio---body"><div class="le-vio__background"><div class="le-vio__player"><div class="vioPlayer styl_vioPlayer__bL8AJ styl_adNotPlayg__Q51_C styl_alignDktopBottom__4cHaO styl_alignMobileBottom__bhgkQ" data-ttid="vio-player"><div class="vioSlate"><a href=" class="allowClicksOnPreview"><picture class=""><source media="(m-width: 1240px)" srcSet="><source media="(m-width: 758px)" srcSet="><img loadg="lazy" src="></picture></a><div class="playButtonOuter absolute absolute-fill w100 dn-prt"><div class="absolute absolute-fill w100 df ems-center ems-center-m jtify-center jtify-center-m"><div class="play le-vio__play-button"><svg class="play--in" xmlns=" viewBox="0 0 15 15" prerveAspectRat="xMidYMid" style="max-width:30px"><path d="M0 0v15l15-7.41z" fill-le="evenodd"></path></svg></div></div></div></div><div id="42660421736"></div></div></div></div><div class="le-vio__"><h2 class="le-vio__tle"><a href=">'Ground zero is here!'</a></h2><span class="le-vio__tail"><span>Dec. 24, 2013</span><span>01:59</span></span><div class="styl_share__n3Syu le-vio__share dn-prt"><div class="styl_shareExpanr__hVk8d le-vio__share-expanr styl_hoverEffect___Dj4s"><span class="styl_shareDot__9pfRZ le-vio__share-dot"></span><svg class="styl_shareClose__6BZxR le-vio__share-close" viewBox="0 0 15 15"><le class="styl_shareLe__EJUjO" x1="0" x2="15" y1="0" y2="15"></le><le class="styl_shareLe__EJUjO" x1="0" x2="15" y1="15" y2="0"></le></svg></div><div class="styl_shareList___M8wC le-vio__share-list"><a href=" class="styl_shareLk__gSGN3" target="_blank" rel="noopen noreferrer"><span class="in in-facebook styl_shareIn__lVnRm le-vio__share-in"></span></a><a href="!'&via=nbews& class="styl_shareLk__gSGN3" target="_blank" rel="noopen noreferrer"><span class="in in-twter styl_shareIn__lVnRm le-vio__share-in"></span></a><a href="mailto:?subject='Ground zero is here!'& class="styl_shareLk__gSGN3" target="_blank" rel="noopen noreferrer"><span class="in in-email styl_shareIn__lVnRm le-vio__share-in"></span></a></div></div></div></sectn><p class="">When feral judg led this week Oregon and Pennsylvania that a <a href=">ban on same-sex marriage was discrimatory</a>, the attorneys general there cid not to appeal the lgs — a move experts thk uld bee a trend.</p><div class="remend-tersectn-ref" data-activy-map="remend-article-body-remend" data-ttid="remend-wrapper"></div><div class="ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer boxleAd dn-prt" data-ttid="ad__ntaer"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxle" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[]],[[758,1],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[728,90],[360,360]]],[[0,0],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[360,360]]]]" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-offset-viewport="100" data-ttid="ad__ntaer__ner"></div></div><p class="">"Sce public opn on the issue is changg so much, the polics of whether mak sense to ntue spendg lns of dollars taxpayer money on this issue is changg," said Jam Esseks, director of the ACLU Lbian Gay Bisexual Transgenr & AIDS Project.</p><p class="">In the g months, five feral appeals urts will nsir ne marriage equaly s om Utah, Oklahoma, Nevada, Texas, Virgia, Tennsee, Kentucky, Oh and Michigan.</p><p class="">Sce last summer's Supreme Court lg on the Defense of Marriage Act and Prop 8, two historic marriage s, not a sgle state marriage ban has survived a feral urt challenge.</p><p class="">Challeng to gay marriage bans on the state level uld bee moot if the Supreme Court cis to take up the issue, predicted to happen as early as 2015, and strik down the laws.</p><p class="">"There uld be a Supreme Court cisn sayg the Constutn requir every state to regnize gay marriage," said Michael Klarman, a Harvard law school profsor and thor of "From the Closet to the Altar: Courts, Backlash, and the Stggle for Same-Sex Marriage."</p><h2 class="">Which stat have been most ristant?</h2><p class="">Historilly, the state that polled the lowt public support for gay marriage was Mississippi, which voted agast gay marriage 86 percent to 14 percent 10 years ago, Klarman said. He said studi dite the percentage of those opposed has gone down by about 1 to 2 percent per year sce then. But gay marriage is still banned there.</p><div class="ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer boxleAd dn-prt" data-ttid="ad__ntaer"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxle" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[]],[[758,1],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[728,90],[360,360]]],[[0,0],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[360,360]]]]" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-offset-viewport="100" data-ttid="ad__ntaer__ner"></div></div><p class="">Dpe such bastns of support for the tradnal heterosexual fn of marriage, most experts don't expect the bans to last for long.</p><div class="remend-tersectn-ref" data-activy-map="remend-article-body-remend" data-ttid="remend-wrapper"></div><p class="">"Opposn to same-sex marriage has llapsed wh astonishg speed. Sudnly, no one believ the arguments anymore," said Andrew Koppelman, a Northwtern Universy School of Law profsor and thor of "Same Sex, Different Sat: When Same-Sex Marriag Cross State L."</p><p class="">"In an creasg number of stat, same-sex marriage has been enacted by the legislature, wh no promptg at all om the judiciary. This is how mocratic polics work. Legislators tend not to vote for unpopular legislatn," he said. "Obvly, there are gog to be some Amerins that are opposed to same-sex marriage, and that's not gog to change any time soon, but their numbers are shrkg."</p><p class="">Wt, the adoptive father Oregon, hop more fai will get to experience the joy he felt when Oregon reversed their ban on same-sex marriage.</p><p class="endmark">"It was cheers and elatn and relief," he said. "I thk sometim might be hard for anybody who hasn't had to go through that stggle to totally prehend what 's like to have that moment."</p></div><div class="article-body__ntent article-body-font--loadg"></div></div><div class="article-body--right-rail-ntaer"><div class="article-body__right-rail layout-grid-em grid-l-4_5-l grid-l-3_5-xl grid-l-ph-half-xl"><div class="ad article-body__right-rail--ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer dn-prt" data-ttid="ad__ntaer"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxrail" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[[300,250],[360,360]]],[[758,1],[]],[[0,0],[]]]" data-offset="10" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-ttid="ad__ntaer__ner"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="body-bottom-remend"><div class="ad ad--midrponsive ad-ntaer dn-prt" data-ttid="ad__ntaer"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="midrponsive" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[[700,1],[5,5]]],[[758,1],[]],[[0,0],[]]]" data-offset="300" data-reh-terval="0" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-ttid="ad__ntaer__ner"></div></div></div></div></div></article></div></div><div id="hfs-footer" class="dn-prt" data-activy-map="hfs-footer"><footer class="hfsf" ><div class="ner"><div class="logo"><a href="><svg class="peack" viewBox="578 62 67 39" xmlns=" fill="currentColor"><g fill-le="evenodd"><path d="M579.074 90.58c1.717-4.494 6.472-6.08 10.697-3.37l18.29 12.754h-22.18c-4.62 0-8.252-4.23-6.8-9.385"></path><path class="feather" d="M579.074 90.58c1.717-4.494 6.472-6.08 10.697-3.37l18.29 12.754h-22.18c-4.62 0-8.252-4.23-6.8-9.385"></path><path class="feather" d="M597.563 75.863l9.442 21.613-19.478-13.35c-4.887-3.24-3.896-8.79-1.19-11.237 3.83-3.24 9.245-2.12 11.226 2.97"></path><path class="feather" d="M610.57 70.93l-3.433 24.19-9.772-23c-2.113-5.75 2.64-9.516 5.81-9.583 3.632-.396 8.188 2.38 7.396 8.394"></path><path class="feather" d="M625.494 72.103l-9.707 23.067-3.102-20.82c-.265-3.17 1.716-3.237 2.443-3.832-.133-.463-1.124-.463-1.124-.463h-1.848c-.198-5.42 4.028-7.8 7.462-7.535 3.697.132 7.856 4.428 5.876 9.583"></path><path class="feather" d="M635.338 84.167L615.86 97.584l9.177-21.348c2.775-6.742 9.245-5.42 11.556-2.842 2.51 2.51 3.235 7.6-1.255 10.773"></path><path class="feather" d="M637.448 99.9h-22.515l18.29-12.756c4.49-2.975 9.244-.266 10.498 3.635 1.327 4.36-1.65 9.12-6.27 9.12"></path></g></svg></a></div><nav class="lks"><ul class="lks__wrap" data-l-2="14" data-l-3=15><li><a href=" target="_self">About</a></li><li><a href=" target="_self">Contact</a></li><li><a href=">Help</a></li><li><a href=">Careers</a></li><li><a href=" target="_blank" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ad Choic</a></li><li><a href=" target="_blank" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Privacy Policy</a></li><li><a href=" target="_blank" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Do Not Sell My Personal Informatn</a></li><li><a href=" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CA Notice</a></li><li><a href=">Terms of Service (Updated JULY 7, 2023)</a></li><li><a href=">NBC News Semap</a></li><li><a href=" target="_self">Closed Captng</a></li><li><a href=">Advertise</a></li><li><a href=" target="_self">Select Shoppg</a></li><li><a href=" target="_self">Select Personal Fance</a></li></ul></nav><div class="py"><p>© 2023 NBC UNIVERSAL</p><div class="brands"><a href="><svg viewBox="0 0 120 20" fill="none" xmlns=" aria-labelledby="nbc_news_logo"><tle class="nbc_news_logo">NBC News Logo

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