Gay marriage

Introduction
Gay rights, 1960-1980s
Gay marriage debate, 1990-2010
Repeal of DOMA: U.S. Supreme Court enters the debate
Gay marriage legalized by U.S. Supreme Court
International same-sex marriage
Pros
- Pro 1: To deny some people the option to marry would be discriminatory and would create a second class of citizens. Same-sex couples should have access to the same benefits enjoyed by heterosexual married couples.
- Pro 2: Gay marriages bring financial gain to federal, state, and local governments, and boost the economy.
- Pro 3: Legal marriage is a secular institution that should not be limited by religious objections to same-sex marriage.
- Pro 4: The concept of “traditional marriage” has changed over time, and the idea that the definition of marriage has always been between one man and one woman is historically inaccurate.
- Pro 5: Gay marriage is a civil right protected by the US Constitution’s commitments to liberty and equality, and is an internationally recognized human right for all people.
- Pro 6: Marriage is not only for procreation, otherwise infertile couples or couples not wishing to have children would be prevented from marrying.
Pro quotes
Cons
- Con 1: The institution of marriage has traditionally been defined as being between a man and a woman. Civil unions and domestic partnerships could provide the protections and benefits gay couples need without changing the definition of marriage.
- Con 2: Marriage is for procreation. Same sex couples should be prohibited from marriage because they cannot produce children together.
- Con 3: Gay marriage has accelerated the assimilation of gays into mainstream heterosexual culture to the detriment of the homosexual community.
- Con 4: Marriage is an outmoded, oppressive institution that should have been weakened, not expanded.
- Con 5: Gay marriage is contrary to the word of God and is incompatible with the beliefs, sacred texts, and traditions of many religious groups.
- Con 6: Homosexuality is immoral and unnatural, and, therefore, same sex marriage is immoral and unnatural.
Con quotes
Gay marriage around the world
Historical timeline
- 1970-1999
  - May 18, 1970 - Same-Sex Couple Applies for Marriage License
  - 1973 - Maryland Bans Same-Sex Marriage
  - Nov. 21, 1976 - Non-Church Sanctioned Gay Wedding Makes News
  - 1983 - ’Spousal’ Rights of Same-Sex Couples Becomes an Issue
  - Dec. 4, 1984 - Nation’s First Domestic Partnership Law Passed
  - Oct. 10, 1987 - First Mass Same-Sex Wedding Ceremony
  - July 1989 - Court Rulings Define Same-Sex Couples as Families
  - 1992 - Same-Sex Employees Begin to Receive Domestic Partner Benefits
  - May 7, 1993 - Hawaii Supreme Court Rules on Same-Sex Marriages
  - Mar. 1995 - Utah Governor Signs ’Defense of Marriage’ Statute into Law
  - Sep. 21, 1996 - Clinton Signs Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)
  - May 1997 - Hawaii Becomes the First State to Offer Domestic Partnership Benefits to Same-Sex Couples
  - Feb. 27, 1998 - Alaska Superior Court Rules on Same-Sex Couples’ Right to Marry
  - Nov. 3, 1998 - Hawaii Voters Approve Constitutional Ban on Same-Sex Marriage
  - Nov. 3, 1998 - Alaska Voters Approve Constitutional Amendment Limiting Marriage
  - Dec. 20, 1999 - Vermont Supreme Court Rules on Same-Sex Couples Benefits and Protections
- 2000-2004
  - Mar. 30, 2000 - US Rabbis Approve Gay Partnership
  - Apr. 26, 2000 - Vermont Civil Union Bill Becomes Law
  - Nov. 7, 2000 - Nebraska Voters Approve Constitutional Ban on Same-Sex Marriage
  - Apr. 1, 2001 - Netherlands Becomes World’s First Country to Legalize Same-Sex Marriage
  - Nov. 7, 2002 - Nevada Voters Approve Constitutional Ban on Same-Sex Marriage
  - May 21, 2003 - Federal Constitutional Marriage Amendment Introduced
  - June 26, 2003 - US Supreme Court Strikes Down Sodomy Laws
  - July 31, 2003 - Vatican Begins Campaign Against Same-Sex Marriage
  - Aug. 1, 2003 - Constitutional Ban on Same-Sex Unions Gathers Sponsors
  - Aug. 18, 2003 - Poll Shows Majority of Americans Opposed to Same-Sex Marriage
  - Sep. 19, 2003 - California Passes Domestic Partnership Law
  - Oct. 28, 2003 - US President Bush Announces He Wants Marriage Reserved for Heterosexuals
  - Nov. 18, 2003 - State Supreme Court Decision Makes Massachusetts First US State to Legalize Gay Marriage
  - Feb. 12, 2004 - City of San Francisco Begins Marrying Same-Sex Couples
  - Feb. 20, 2004 - New Mexico County Begins Issuing Marriage Licenses to Same-Sex Couples
  - Feb. 20, 2004 - Cambodian King Backs Gay Marriage
  - Feb. 24, 2004 - President Bush Announces Support for Constitutional Amendment Banning Same-Sex Marriage
  - Feb. 27, 2004 - New York Town of New Paltz Begins Marrying Same-Sex Couples
  - Mar. 3, 2004 - Gay Couples Wed in Portland, Oregon
  - Mar. 8, 2004 - California State Assemblywoman Marries
  - Mar. 10, 2004 - Washington Post/ABC Poll Shows Support for Same-Sex Marriage Grows
  - Mar. 11, 2004 - California Supreme Court Orders Halt to San Francisco Same-Sex Weddings
  - Mar. 15, 2004 - Spousal Benefits for Gays at the United Nations Challenged
  - Mar. 16, 2004 - New York Times/CBS Poll Shows 59% Support Constitutional Amendment Restricting Marriage to ’a Man and a Woman’
  - Mar. 23, 2004 - Oregon County Bans All Marriage
  - Mar. 30, 2004 - Conservatives Testify against Constitutional Amendment Banning Same-Sex Marriage
  - Mar. 31, 2004 - UK Grants ’Joint Rights’ to Same-Sex Couples
  - Apr. 20, 2004 - Oregon Same-Sex Marriages Ordered Halted
  - May 17, 2004 - First Legal Gay Marriage in the United States
  - June 10, 2004 - New York Court Backs Gay Marriage
  - July 14, 2004 - Same-Sex Marriage Ban Fails in US Senate
  - Aug. 3, 2004 - Missouri Votes to Ban Same-Sex Marriage
  - Aug. 4, 2004 - Seattle Judge Approves Same-Sex Marriages
  - Aug. 12, 2004 - California Supreme Court Voids Same-Sex Marriages
  - Aug. 24, 2004 - Vice President Dick Cheney Sees Same-Sex Marriage as a State Issue
  - Sep. 18, 2004 - Same-Sex Marriage Ban Approved in Louisiana
  - Sep. 30, 2004 - US House of Representatives Rejects Same-Sex Marriage Ban
  - Nov. 2, 2004 - 11 US States Pass Initiatives to Ban Same-Sex Marriage
  - Nov. 29, 2004 - US Supreme Court Declines to Review Massachusetts’ Same-Sex Marriage Law
- 2005-2011
  - Feb. 4, 2005 - State Judge Rules That New York Ban on Same-Sex Marriage Is Illegal
  - Feb. 23, 2005 - Pope Calls Same-Sex Marriage ’Evil’
  - Mar. 14, 2005 - Judge Rules California Same-Sex Marriage Ban Is Unconstitutional
  - Apr. 4, 2005 - Kansas Voters Approve Constitutional Ban on Same-Sex Marriage
  - Apr. 14, 2005 - Oregon Court Voids Same-Sex Marriage Licenses
  - Apr. 20, 2005 - Connecticut Approves Same-Sex Civil Unions
  - Apr. 25, 2005 - Navajo Nation Bans Same-Sex Marriage
  - July 4, 2005 - United Church of Christ Backs Same-Sex Marriage
  - July 20, 2005 - Canada Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage
  - Aug. 22, 2005 - California Supreme Court Establishes Co-Parenting Rights for Same-Sex Couples
  - Sep. 6, 2005 - California Legislature First in United States to Approve Gay Marriage Legalization
  - Sep. 29, 2005 - California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger Vetoes Bill to Legalize Same-Sex Marriage
  - Nov. 9, 2005 - Texas Voters Approve Constitutional Amendment Banning Same-Sex Marriage
  - June 6, 2006 - Alabama Voters Approve Constitutional Amendment Banning Gay Marriage
  - July 18, 2006 - House Rejects Constitutional Amendment to Ban Gay Marriage
  - Oct. 25, 2006 - New Jersey Supreme Court Orders Legislature to Recognize Same-Sex Unions
  - Nov. 7, 2006 - Voters in Seven States Approve Constitutional Ban on Same-Sex Marriage
  - Nov. 30, 2006 - South Africa Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage
  - May 15, 2008 - California Supreme Court Overturns Ban on Gay Marriage
  - Aug. 22, 2008 - Coquille Indian Tribe Becomes First Native American Tribe to Legalize Same-Sex Marriage
  - Oct. 10, 2008 - Connecticut Supreme Court Rules Same-Sex Couples Can Marry
  - Nov. 4, 2008 - California Voters Approve a Constitutional Ban on Same-Sex Marriage
  - Nov. 4, 2008 - Florida Voters Approve a Constitutional Ban on Same-Sex Marriages
  - Nov. 4, 2008 - Arizona Voters Approve a Constitutional Ban on Same-Sex Marriages
  - Apr. 3, 2009 - Iowa Supreme Court Overturns Ban on Gay Marriage
  - Apr. 7, 2009 - Vermont Legislature Legalizes Same-Sex Marriages
  - May 6, 2009 - Maine Governor Signs Bill Legalizing Same-Sex Marriages
  - May 26, 2009 - California Supreme Court Upholds Proposition 8’s Ban on Same-Sex Marriages
  - June 3, 2009 - New Hampshire Legalizes Same-Sex Marriages
  - Nov. 5, 2009 - Maine Voters Repeal State’s Law Allowing Same-Sex Marriage
  - June 28, 2010 - Iceland’s Prime Minister, First Openly Gay Head of Government, Marries Partner
  - July 22, 2010 - Argentina Becomes First Country in Latin America to Legalize Gay Marriage
  - Aug. 4, 2010 - US District Judge Rules CA Proposition 8 Unconstitutional
  - Feb. 23, 2011 - US President Barack Obama Declares Defense of Marriage Act Unconstitutional, Directs Department of Justice to Stop Defending the Law in Court
  - June 24, 2011 - New York Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage
  - July 19, 2011 - President Barack Obama Supports Dianne Feinstein’s Bill to Repeal Defense of Marriage Act
- 2012-2021
  - Feb. 7, 2012 - US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals Rules CA Proposition 8 Unconstitutional
  - Feb. 13, 2012 - Washington Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage
  - Mar. 1, 2012 - Maryland Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage
  - May 9, 2012 - President Obama Endorses Same-Sex Marriage
  - Nov. 6, 2012 - Maine, Maryland, and Washington Become First States to Legalize Same-Sex Marriage by Popular Vote
  - Dec. 7, 2012 - US Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Two Same-Sex Marriage Cases
  - Feb. 11, 2013 - US Military Extends Some Marriage Benefits to Same-Sex Partners
  - May 2, 2013 - Rhode Island Becomes 10th US State to Legalize Same-Sex Marriage
  - May 7, 2013 - Delaware Becomes 11th US State to Legalize Same-Sex Marriage
  - May 14, 2013 - Minnesota Becomes 12th US State to Legalize Same-Sex Marriage
  - June 26, 2013 - US Supreme Court Finds Key Part of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) Unconstitutional
  - June 26, 2013 - US Supreme Court Says Proposition 8 Defenders Lack ’Standing,’ Clears Way for Legal Gay Marriage in California
  - Aug. 26, 2013 - Some New Mexico Counties Issue Same-Sex Marriage Licenses
  - Aug. 29, 2013 - Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Recognizes Married Same-Sex Couples
  - Sep. 27, 2013 - New Jersey Becomes 14th State to Legalize Gay Marriage
  - Nov. 13, 2013 - Hawaii Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage
  - Nov. 20, 2013 - Illinois Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage
  - Dec. 19, 2013 - New Mexico Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage
  - Dec. 20, 2013 - Utah’s Gay Marriage Ban Ruled Unconstitutional by Federal Judge
  - Jan. 6, 2014 - US Supreme Court Halts Gay Marriages in Utah
  - Jan. 7, 2014 - Nigeria Bans Gay Marriage
  - May 19, 2014 - Oregon Becomes 18th State to Legalize Gay Marriage
  - May 20, 2014 - Pennsylvania Becomes 19th State to Legalize Gay Marriage
  - June 19, 2014 - Presbyterian Church Votes to Allow Gay Wedding Ceremonies
  - July 7, 2014 - United Nations Recognizes Same-Sex Marriages of All UN Staffers
  - Oct. 6, 2014 - US Supreme Court Clears Way for Same-Sex Marriage in Five States
  - Nov. 6, 2014 - 6th Circuit Court of Appeals Upholds Gay Marriage Bans
  - Nov. 12, 2014 - Kansas Becomes 33rd State to Legalize Gay Marriage
  - Nov. 20, 2014 - South Carolina Becomes 35th State to Legalize Gay Marriage
  - Apr. 28, 2015 - US Supreme Court Hears Arguments in Landmark Gay Marriage Case
  - May 15, 2015 - Prime Minister Xavier Bettel Marries Partner in First Gay Marriage of EU Leader
  - May 23, 2015 - Ireland Becomes First Country to Legalize Gay Marriage by Popular Vote
  - June 26, 2015 - US Supreme Court Makes Gay Marriage Legal in All 50 US States
  - July 1, 2015 - Episcopal Church Votes to Allow Same-Sex Weddings
  - Apr. 13, 2016 - Judge Rules against Couple in First Gay Marriage Court Case in China
  - Dec. 10, 2017 - Bermuda Becomes First Country to Abolish Gay Marriage
  - Jan. 10, 2018 - Inter-American Court of Human Rights Rules Gay Marriages Should Be Recognized
  - June 5, 2018 - Top European Union Court Rules EU Countries Must Recognize Foreign Gay Marriages
  - May 17, 2019 - Taiwan Becomes First in Asia to Legalize Gay Marriage
  - June 12, 2019 - Ecuador Legalizes Gay Marriage
  - Oct 22, 2019 - Northern Ireland Legalizes Gay Marriage
  - May 26, 2020 - Costa Rica Is First Central American Country to Legalize Gay Marriage
  - June 1, 2020 - Estimated 293,000 Gay Couples Married since Obergefell v. Hodges
  - Sep. 17, 2020 - US Census Releases Data from Updated American Community Survey
  - Oct. 21, 2020 - Pope Francis Expresses Support for Same-Sex Civil Unions
  - Oct. 22, 2020 - Support for Same-Sex Marriage at Highest Point Ever
  - Nov. 3, 2020 - Nevada Votes to Remove Same-Sex Marriage Ban from Constitution
  - Mar. 15, 2021 - Vatican Confirms Catholic Church Will Not Bless Same-Sex Marriages
  - Mar. 17, 2021 - Japanese Court Rules Lack of Recognition of Gay Marriage Is Unconstitutional
  - Mar. 23, 2021 - For the First Time, Majority of Republicans Support Same-Sex Marriage
  - June 8, 2021 - Record Support for Gay Marriage
  - Sep. 15, 2021 - Jared Polis First Sitting US Governor to Marry Same-Sex Partner
  - Sep. 26, 2021 - Switzerland Legalizes Gay Marriage
  - Dec. 9, 2021 - Chile Legalizes Gay Marriage
Sources

References & Edit History Related Topics

Images

A gavel and wedding rings sit on a gay pride flag

Gay marriage: Media

Should gay marriage be legal?

Images

A gavel and wedding rings sit on a gay pride flag

Gay Marriage

LGBTQ marriage equality and laws.

© Valerii Evlakhov/stock.adobe.com

VIEW MORE in these related Britannica articles: