Same gender marriage law
The Journey to Marriage Equality in the United States
The road to nationwide marriage equality was a extended 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 United States, we gave our all to ensure every person, regardless of whom they admire , is recognized equally under the law.
A Growing Call for Equality
Efforts to legalize same-sex marriage began to pop up across the state in the s, and with it challenges on the state and national levels. Civil unions for same-sex couples existed in many states but created a separate but equal standard. At the federal level, couples were denied access to more than 1, federal rights and responsibilities associated with the institution, as adv as those denied by their given state. The Defense of Marriage Execute was signed into law in and defined marriage by the federal government as between a man and
What the Same Sex Marriage Bill Does and Doesn't Do
The U.S. Senate passed landmark legislation this week enshrining protections for same sex and interracial marriages in federal law in a bipartisan vote that marked a dramatic turnaround on a once highly divisive issue.
The Senate move marks a major hurdle for the legislation, which President Biden has said he will subscribe into law pending a vote in the House of Representatives.
Leonore F. Carpenter, a Rutgers Law School professor who has served as an LGBTQA rights attorney, explains what the Respect for Marriage Act accomplishes, and what is does not.
What exactly does the Respect for Marriage Act undertake to protect same-sex marriage?
The Act does a few adj things.
First, it repeals the federal Defense of Marriage Execute. That law was passed in , and it prohibited the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages that had been validly entered into under a state’s law. It also gave the green light to states to decline to recognize same-sex marriages from other states.
Next, it prohibits states from refusing to
Marriage Equality Around the World
The Human Rights Campaign tracks developments in the legal recognition of same-sex marriage around the world. Working through a worldwide network of HRC global alumni and partners, we lift up the voices of community, national and regional advocates and divide tools, resources, and lessons learned to empower movements for marriage equality.
Current State of Marriage Equality
There are currently 38 countries where same-sex marriage is legal: Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Uruguay.
These countries have legalized marriage equality through both legislation and court decisions.
Countries that Legalized Marriage Equality in
Liechtenstein: On May 16, , Liechtenstein's gove
Marriage & Relationship Recognition Laws
States with the autonomy to marry perform 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 own 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 law (9 states + D.C.)
State has targeted religious exemption law (see note)
Citations & More Information
Movement Advancement Project. "Equality Maps: Marriage & Relationship Recognition Laws." Accessed 07/17/
NOTE: Kansas pe