Live</tle><rect width="39" height="22" rx="3" fill="#CB1111"></rect><path d="M5.756 5.66H8.186V15.002H12.506V17H5.756V5.66ZM13.5783 5.66H16.0083V17H13.5783V5.66ZM22.5198 17H20.0718L16.7958 5.66H19.2798L21.3498 13.31H21.4218L23.5098 5.66H25.7958L22.5198 17ZM33.3901 15.002V17H26.5861V5.66H33.3541V7.658H28.9621V10.25H32.3101V12.212H28.9621V15.002H33.3901Z" fill="whe"></path></svg></span>on<span class="styl_img__bxg3Y styl_news-now-img__961yW"><svg width="144" height="16" viewBox="0 0 144 16" fill="none" xmlns="><tle>NBC News Now</tle><g clip-path="url(#clip0_3686_260016)"><path d="M143.711 12.9351H106.432V15.7204H143.711V12.9351Z" fill="currentColor"></path><path d="M138.308 11.0828H141.078L143.924 0.253418H141.218L139.725 6.7182H139.678L138.044 0.253418H135.417L133.77 6.7182H133.708L132.215 0.253418H129.276L132.114 11.0828H135.005L136.655 4.66263H136.747L138.308 11.0828Z" fill="currentColor"></path><path d="M120.534 5.67944C120.534 3.79098 121.713 2.45958 123.394 2.45958C125.074 2.45958 126.254 3.76034 126.254 5.67944C126.254 7.59855 125.072 8.89651 123.394 8.89651C121.716 8.89651 120.534 7.59576 120.534 5.67944ZM123.394 11.3253C126.814 11.3253 129.206 8.89652 129.206 5.67944C129.206 2.46237 126.828 0.0307617 123.394 0.0307617C119.959 0.0307617 117.578 2.45958 117.578 5.67944C117.578 8.8993 119.956 11.3253 123.394 11.3253V11.3253Z" fill="currentColor"></path><path d="M113.118 11.0827H116.427V0.250488H113.625V6.71528H113.564L109.74 0.250488H106.429V11.0827H109.23V4.61234H109.294L113.118 11.0827Z" fill="currentColor"></path><path d="M93.1764 3.4594C93.1764 1.43446 94.8964 0 97.608 0C99.9219 0 101.706 1.11414 102.169 2.87169L99.6474 3.4594C99.3672 2.60987 98.6557 2.15308 97.6613 2.15308C96.7368 2.15308 96.0757 2.54581 96.0757 3.26721C96.0757 5.42029 102.423 3.07224 102.423 7.70427C102.423 9.85734 100.572 11.2946 97.9414 11.2946C94.9664 11.2946 93.1147 9.98825 92.5181 7.70427L95.0981 7.31432C95.2562 7.86892 95.5951 8.35559 96.0616 8.69791C96.5281 9.04022 97.0957 9.21879 97.6753 9.20557C98.7958 9.20557 99.5269 8.68471 99.5269 7.96609C99.5353 5.7406 93.1764 8.09143 93.1764 3.4594Z" fill="currentColor"></path><path d="M85.7161 4.61826H85.6489L84.0157 11.083H81.1051L78.2422 0.248047H81.22L82.7411 6.70726H82.8055L84.4583 0.248047H87.1055L88.7583 6.70726H88.8227L90.3439 0.248047H93.0555L90.2122 11.083H87.4361L85.7161 4.61826Z" fill="currentColor"></path><path d="M77.4499 0.248047V2.53203H71.7633V4.42328H76.2453V6.70726H71.7633V8.79627H77.5815V11.083H68.9199V0.248047H77.4499Z" fill="currentColor"></path><path d="M60.5243 4.61826L60.4571 11.083H57.6138V0.248047H60.9193L64.7543 6.70726H64.8215V0.248047H67.6649V11.083H64.3593L60.5243 4.61826Z" fill="currentColor"></path><path d="M42.5679 5.67658C42.5679 2.35087 44.8818 0.0668945 48.2545 0.0668945C50.899 0.0668945 52.8823 1.43728 53.6779 3.78532L50.9662 4.30619C50.7735 3.76474 50.4145 3.29724 49.94 2.96983C49.4654 2.64242 48.8993 2.47169 48.3218 2.48178C46.6018 2.48178 45.5429 3.72126 45.5429 5.67658C45.5429 7.63189 46.6634 8.87416 48.3218 8.87416C48.8996 8.88405 49.466 8.71291 49.9406 8.38498C50.4152 8.05704 50.774 7.58894 50.9662 7.04697L53.6106 7.57062C52.7506 9.98273 50.899 11.289 48.2545 11.289C44.8818 11.289 42.5679 8.941 42.5679 5.67658Z" fill="currentColor"></path><path d="M32.4521 0.248047H37.741C40.1221 0.248047 41.6433 1.16164 41.6433 3.24786C41.6452 3.75624 41.4774 4.25089 41.1661 4.65418C40.8548 5.05747 40.4177 5.34658 39.9232 5.47614V5.5402C40.9821 5.73796 41.9066 6.52064 41.9066 8.01916C41.9066 10.1722 40.3855 11.083 38.0072 11.083H32.4521V0.248047ZM35.3627 4.49012H37.2788C38.3993 4.49012 38.7999 4.2283 38.7999 3.50968C38.7999 2.79107 38.3377 2.53203 37.2788 2.53203H35.3627V4.49012ZM35.3627 6.51229V8.79627H37.346C38.5366 8.79627 39.0632 8.4676 39.0632 7.68214C39.0632 6.89667 38.5366 6.568 37.346 6.568H35.3627V6.51229Z" fill="currentColor"></path><path d="M24.054 4.61826L23.984 11.083H21.1406V0.248047H24.449L28.284 6.70726H28.3484V0.248047H31.1917V11.083H27.8862L24.054 4.61826Z" fill="currentColor"></path><path d="M16.9526 7.11688C16.5767 7.10716 16.2056 7.20323 15.8822 7.39403L10.6504 11.0274H16.9526C17.473 11.0274 17.9721 10.8219 18.3401 10.456C18.7081 10.09 18.9149 9.59378 18.9149 9.07631C18.9149 8.55884 18.7081 8.06257 18.3401 7.69667C17.9721 7.33076 17.473 7.12519 16.9526 7.12519V7.11688Z" fill="#0DB14B"></path><path d="M10.8291 10.1962L16.5432 6.29952C16.7602 6.16158 16.9478 5.98248 17.0953 5.77245C17.2427 5.56242 17.3471 5.32557 17.4025 5.07542C17.4579 4.82527 17.4632 4.56673 17.4181 4.31455C17.373 4.06237 17.2784 3.82147 17.1397 3.60565C17.0009 3.38983 16.8208 3.20329 16.6096 3.05669C16.3983 2.91008 16.1601 2.80626 15.9086 2.75119C15.657 2.69611 15.3969 2.69085 15.1433 2.73569C14.8897 2.78054 14.6474 2.87463 14.4304 3.01257C14.109 3.20856 13.8499 3.49107 13.6833 3.82738L10.8291 10.1962Z" fill="#0089CF"></path><path d="M12.5989 0.249348C12.8333 0.357094 13.0439 0.510047 13.2185 0.699339C13.393 0.88863 13.528 1.1105 13.6156 1.35206C13.7033 1.59363 13.7418 1.85008 13.729 2.10657C13.7162 2.36306 13.6523 2.61446 13.541 2.84621L10.8206 8.79378L9.93701 3.17879C9.90412 3.02045 9.93406 2.85561 10.0206 2.71873C10.238 2.3917 10.7843 2.13396 10.7815 2.09793C10.7788 2.0619 10.7286 1.98984 10.5028 1.98984H9.78369C9.79649 1.71105 9.86569 1.43769 9.98716 1.1861C10.0955 0.952999 10.2494 0.743609 10.4397 0.570069C10.6301 0.396529 10.8533 0.262295 11.0962 0.175156C11.3392 0.0880165 11.5971 0.04971 11.855 0.0624465C12.113 0.0751829 12.3658 0.138705 12.5989 0.249348V0.249348Z" fill="#645FAA"></path><path d="M6.41914 0.249348C6.1847 0.357094 5.97407 0.510047 5.79954 0.699339C5.625 0.88863 5.49 1.1105 5.40236 1.35206C5.31472 1.59363 5.27621 1.85008 5.28902 2.10657C5.30183 2.36306 5.36574 2.61446 5.47701 2.84621L8.19747 8.79378L9.22319 2.27251C9.26287 1.89961 9.19624 1.52313 9.03088 1.1861C8.92252 0.952999 8.76869 0.743609 8.57831 0.570069C8.38793 0.396529 8.16478 0.262295 7.92183 0.175156C7.67888 0.0880165 7.42095 0.04971 7.163 0.0624465C6.90504 0.0751829 6.65221 0.138705 6.41914 0.249348V0.249348Z" fill="#C9234A"></path><path d="M2.46669 6.2992L8.18075 10.1959L5.31535 3.82151C5.14952 3.48468 4.89036 3.20198 4.56836 3.0067C4.12998 2.72812 3.59826 2.63411 3.09017 2.74534C2.58207 2.85656 2.13921 3.16392 1.85903 3.5998C1.57886 4.03567 1.48432 4.56437 1.59619 5.06957C1.70805 5.57476 2.01715 6.01507 2.45553 6.29365L2.46669 6.2992Z" fill="#F37021"></path><path d="M2.06533 7.11707C1.5449 7.11707 1.04575 7.32263 0.677748 7.68853C0.309746 8.05443 0.103027 8.55071 0.103027 9.06817C0.103027 9.58564 0.309746 10.0819 0.677748 10.4478C1.04575 10.8137 1.5449 11.0193 2.06533 11.0193H8.36752L3.13566 7.40252C2.81314 7.20881 2.44206 7.10985 2.06533 7.11707Z" fill="#FDB913"></path></g><fs><clipPath id="clip0_3686_260016"><rect width="144" height="16" fill="whe"></rect></clipPath></fs></svg></span><span class="styl_img__bxg3Y styl_chevron-img__sl67n"><svg viewBox="0 0 10 7" fill="none" xmlns="><path d="M1 1.07454L4.96238 5L9 1" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-lep="round"></path></svg></span></div></a></div></div></div></sectn><div class="article-body" data-activy-map="article-article-body" data-taboola-target="read-more"><div class="article-body__grid--ntaer"><div class="ad dn-prt"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="terstial" data-siz="[[[0,0],[[4,4]]]]" data-reh-terval="0" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te"></div></div><div class="article-body__sectn"><div class="article-body layout-grid-em layout-grid-em--wh-gutter-s-only grid-l-10-m grid-l-ph-1-m grid-l-6-xl grid-l-ph-2-xl article-body--ctom-lumn"></div></div><div class="article-body__sectn layout-grid-ntaer article-body__last-sectn article-body__first-sectn"><div class="article-body layout-grid-em layout-grid-em--wh-gutter-s-only grid-l-10-m grid-l-ph-1-m grid-l-6-xl grid-l-ph-2-xl article-body--ctom-lumn"><sectn class="mb7"><div class="article-social-share-top"><ul 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 in-share-email"></span></a></li><li data-ttid="social-share-py" class="styl_em__b5A78 styl_py__RACZ3"><button type="button" class="styl_button__b3sx_"><span class="in in-lk"></span></button><div class="styl_pyTooltip__Ut_t1"><span class="in in-alt-check"></span></div></li><li data-ttid="social-share-sms" class="styl_em__b5A78 styl_sms__Vohh6"><a href="sms:?&body=Where Can (and Can't) Gay Coupl Get Married? via nbews - target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="styl_lk__RsJVU"><span class="in in-sms"></span></a></li><li data-ttid="social-share-prt" class="styl_prt__cw6Gn"><button type="button" class="styl_button__b3sx_"><span class="in in-share-prt styl_in__P3XZT"></span><span class="styl_text___8iNX">Prt</span></button></li><li data-ttid="social-share-save" class="styl_save__ILVuj"></li></ul></div><div class="article-body__date-source"><time class="relative z-1" dateTime="2014-05-25T15:51:26.000Z" ntent="2014-05-25T15:51:26.000Z">May 20, 2014, 3:21 PM 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"><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"></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"><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">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"><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"></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><div class="ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer boxleAd dn-prt"><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"></div></div><p class="">Three other stat allow civil unns or domtic partnerships for same-sex upl: Colorado, Nevada and Wisns.</p><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><div class="ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer boxleAd dn-prt"><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"></div></div><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"><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"></div><div class="ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer boxleAd dn-prt"><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"></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><div class="ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer boxleAd dn-prt"><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"></div></div><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><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><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><div class="ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer boxleAd dn-prt"><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"></div></div><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><div class="remend-tersectn-ref" data-activy-map="remend-article-body-remend"></div><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><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"><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"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="body-bottom-remend"><div class="ad ad--midrponsive ad-ntaer dn-prt"><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"></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=">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

states not recognizing gay marriage

As Edgars Rkēvičs be the first openly gay print Latvia’s history, here’s a glimpse at other openly gay heads of state om around the world.

Contents:

GAY MARRIAGE BY STATE [UPDATED JULY 2023]

The Supreme Court's cisn to ny appeals for five stat that wanted to ban same-sex marriage opens the door for expansn of gay unns * states not recognizing gay marriage *

In others – most recently Alabama – ’s been state or feral judg forcg the toehold long sought by gay rights advot and bterly ntted by those who argue marriage is an stutn rerved solely for one man and one woman. ”Five years after the Supreme Court had s say on the issue, same-sex marriage remas a polilly ntent issue, and LGBTQ advot ntue to battle urtrooms and stateho to ensure gay upl n exercise their right to marry. ” The “mi-DOMAs, ” he noted, banned gay marriage fay s and state law, not the 1998, Hawaii beme the first state to pass a nstutnal amendment specifilly targetg same-sex marriage.

STAT ACROSS U.S. STILL CLG TO OUTDATED GAY MARRIAGE BANS

Neteen stat pl Washgton, D.C., now allow gay marriage. Here is where the fight for marriage equaly the U.S. stands. * states not recognizing gay marriage *

In some s, there is a lack of polil willgns to remove them, while others, the labor-tensive removal procs mak them a low Virgia, for example, while the two statutory laws banng same-sex marriage have been repealed, the state’s 2006 nstutnal amendment prohibg gay unns remas for the time beg. Circu Court of Appeals found that, although Davis was immune om beg sued as a unty official, she uld be sued her dividual pacy for refg to ply wh the early 2016, Roy Moore, then the chief jtice of the Alabama Supreme Court, prohibed probate judg the state om issug marriage licens to gay upl.

HERE ARE THE STAT WHERE GAY COUPL CAN GET MARRIED

Proponents ntend that gay marriage bans are discrimatory and unnstutnal, opponents ague that marriage is primarily for procreatn. * states not recognizing gay marriage *

"We believe judg reta their right to relig liberty when they take the bench, " Paxton’s spokperson, Marc Rylanr, said a statement at the matrimonySce the legalizatn of same-sex marriage ferally, hundreds of state bills have been troduced that poke hol gay marriage var ways. And while Tmp claimed to be a “real iend” to lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr and queer people durg the 2016 mpaign, Kadi said his admistratn is “no ally to the LGBTQ muny.

8 Wyomg beme the latt state to legalize gay marriage Tuday after state lawyers filed a legal notice sayg they would not appeal a urt cisn that overturned the state’s same-sex marriage ban. The news after a feral judge stck down Arizona’s same-sex marriage ban Friday, makg Wyomg the latt a seri of urt cisns that have opened the door for gay marriage that state and 12 others this month. The cisn to ny appeals signals that the Supreme Court agreed wh lower urts’ lgs that rtrictns on gay marriage were unnstutnal, but the Court did not yet want to make a sweepg lg that appli to all 50 stat.

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.

SHOULD GAY MARRIAGE BE LEGAL?

In a landmark opn, a divid Supreme Court on Friday led that same-sex upl n marry natnwi, tablishg a new civil right and handg gay rights advot a historic victory. * states not recognizing gay marriage *

"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 gas marriage equaly have been a victory for not jt gay upl, but for their 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?

NEVADA BE FIRST STATE TO REGNIZE GAY MARRIAGE STATE NSTUTN

McLennan County Jtice of the Peace Dianne Hensley filed a lawsu after a state agency warned her about refg to marry gay upl. She hop a recent U.S. Supreme Court se about relig eedom helps her e. * states not recognizing gay marriage *

"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 Wt and Rummell met 2006, they've seen a huge change attus toward gay rights. Gay marriage is allowed, and the public perceptnBis 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 other stat allow civil unns or domtic partnerships for same-sex upl: Colorado, Nevada and trend toward gay marriage has picked up steam. 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.

"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 the g months, five feral appeals urts will nsir ne marriage equaly s om Utah, Oklahoma, Nevada, Texas, Virgia, Tennsee, Kentucky, Oh and 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. 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.

"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.

TEXAS JUDGE WHO DON’T WANT TO PERFORM GAY MARRIAGE CEREMONI HOP WEB SIGNER’S SUPREME COURT SE HELPS HER FIGHT

The road to full marriage equaly for same-sex upl the Uned Stat was paved wh setbacks and victori. The landmark 2015 Supreme Court se Obergefell v. Hodg ma gay marriage legal throughout the untry. * states not recognizing gay marriage *

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. US public opn had shifted signifintly over the years, om 27% approval of gay marriage 1996 to 55% 2015, the year beme legal throughout the Uned Stat, to 61% 2019. Proponents of legal gay marriage ntend that gay marriage bans are discrimatory and unnstutnal, and that same-sex upl should have accs to all the benefs enjoyed by different-sex upl.

GAY MARRIAGE

The Supreme Court regnized gay marriag natnwi, pletg a 19-year arc toward more jt legal treatment of gays and lbians. * states not recognizing gay marriage *

On July 25, 2014 Miami-Da County Circu Court Judge Sarah Zabel led Florida’s gay marriage ban unnstutnal and stated that the ban “serv only to hurt, to discrimate, to prive same-sex upl and their fai of equal digny, to label and treat them as send-class cizens, and to em them unworthy of participatn one of the fundamental stutns of our society. The Amerin Psychologil Associatn, Amerin Psychiatric Associatn, and others nclud that legal gay marriage giv upl “accs to the social support that already facilat and strengthens heterosexual marriag, wh all of the psychologil and physil health benefs associated wh that support. A 2010 analysis found that after their stat had banned gay marriage, gay, lbian and bisexual people suffered a 37% crease mood disorrs, a 42% crease alhol-e disorrs, and a 248% crease generalized anxiety disorrs.

In July 2012 New York Cy Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced that gay marriage had ntributed $259 ln to the cy’s enomy jt a year sce the practice beme legal there July 2011.

In 2012, the Williams Instute at the Universy of California at Los Angel (UCLA) found that the first five years after Massachetts legalized gay marriage 2004, same-sex weddg expendur (such as venue rental, weddg k, etc. 2016 printial ndidate and former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fra stated that civil unns are aquate as an equivalent to marriage: “Benefs are beg btowed to gay upl [ civil unns]… I believe we need to rpect those who believe that the word marriage has a spirual foundatn… Why n’t we rpect and tolerate that while at the same time sayg ernment nnot btow benefs unequally.

CALIFORNIA STILL HAS AN ANTI-GAY MARRIAGE LAW ON THE BOOKS. VOTERS ULD REMOVE NEXT YEAR

Court papers filed July 2014 by attorneys fendg Arizona’s gay marriage ban stated that “the State regulat marriage for the primary purpose of channelg potentially procreative sexual relatnships to endurg unns for the sake of jog children to both their mother and their father… Same-sex upl n never provi a child wh both her blogil mother and her blogil father. Contrary to the pro gay marriage argument that some different-sex upl nnot have children or don’t want them, even those s there is still the potential to produce children. Lee Badgett, PhD, Director of the Center for Public Policy and Admistratn at the Universy of Massachetts at Amherst, stated that for many gay activists “marriage means adoptg heterosexual forms of fay and givg up distctively gay fay forms and perhaps even gay and lbian culture.

Pla Ettelbrick, JD, Profsor of Law and Women’s Studi, wrote 1989, “Marriage ns ntrary to two of the primary goals of the lbian and gay movement: the affirmatn of gay inty and culture and the validatn of many forms of relatnships.

LGBT activist llective Agast Equaly stated, “Gay marriage ap hetero privilege… [and] creas enomic equaly by perpetuatg a system which ems married begs more worthy of the basics like health re and enomic rights. Queer activist Anrs Zanichkowsky stated June 2013 that the then mpaign for gay marriage “tentnally and malicly eras and exclus so many queer people and cultur, particularly trans and genr non-nformg people, poor queer people, and queer people non-tradnal fai… marriage thks non-married people are viant and not tly servg of civil rights. In Islamic tradn, several hadhs (passag attributed to the Prophet Muhammad) nmn gay and lbian relatnships, cludg the saygs “When a man mounts another man, the throne of God shak, ” and “Sihaq [lbian sex] of women is za [illegimate sexual terurse].

WHAT IS THE STATE OF GAY MARRIAGE THE US?

Matt Barber, Associate Dean for Onle Programs at Liberty Universy School of Law, stated, “Every dividual engaged the homosexual liftyle, who has adopted a homosexual inty, they know, tuively, that what they’re dog is immoral, unnatural, and self-stctive, yet they thirst for that affirmatn. A 2003 set of guil signed by Pope John Pl II stated: “There are absolutely no grounds for nsirg homosexual unns to be any way siar or even remotely analogo to God’s plan for marriage and fay… Marriage is holy, while homosexual acts go agast the natural moral law. On May 17, 2004, the first legal gay marriage the Uned Stat was performed Cambridge, MA between Tanya McCloskey, a massage therapist, and Marcia Kadish, an employment manager at an engeerg firm.

Sce then public opn has shifted dramatilly, and 70 percent of Amerins now support the right of gay upl to wed, acrdg to an October poll by the Public Relign Rearch Instute. Nearly 46 years to the day after a rt at New York’s Stonewall Inn hered the morn gay rights movement, the cisn uld settle one of the major civil rights fights of this era. Kennedy has wrten the opn signifint gay rights s and when he uttered the key sentence that same-sex upl should be able to exercise the right to marry all stat, people the Court’s public gallery broke to s and some wiped tears om their ey.

Hundreds of same-sex marriage supporters flood the plaza and siwalk ont of the Court to celebrate the lg, proudly wavg rabow flags and banners wh the Human Rights Campaign’s equal sign, which have e to reprent the gay rights movement.

LATVIA BE 7TH NATN TO BE LED BY AN OPENLY GAY HEAD OF STATE

And as gay rights groups have seen gay marriage bans fall rapidly recent years, wh the number of stat allowg gay marriage swellg most recently to 37 – that is, until this lg. Attorney John Bursch, servg as Michigan’s Special Assistant Attorney General, fend four stat’ bans on gay marriage before the Court, argug that the se was not about how to fe marriage, but rather about who gets to ci the qutn. “It is simply untenable – untenable – to suggt that they n be nied the right of equal participatn an stutn of marriage, or that they n be required to wa until the majory cis that is ready to treat gay and lbian people as equals.

The pair had married New York 2011, but Dekoe’s posn the Army took the uple to Tennsee, which banned gay marriage and refed to regnize gay marriag performed other stat.

Supreme Court is lled "Sectn Three, " which prevented the feral ernment om regnizg any marriag between gay or lbian upl for the purpose of feral laws or programs, even if those upl are nsired legally married by their home state. The other signifint part of DOMA mak so that dividual stat do not legally have to acknowledge the relatnships of gay and lbian upl who were married another state. Sectn Three is the part that prevented the feral ernment om regnizg any marriag between gay or lbian upl for the purpose of feral laws or programs, even if those upl are nsired legally married by their home is the stat of DOMA right now?

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* STATES NOT RECOGNIZING GAY MARRIAGE

Stat across U.S. still clg to outdated gay marriage bans .

TOP