Can gays get married in all states

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 share tools, resources, and lessons learned to strengthen 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

The Journey to Marriage Equality in the United States

The road to nationwide marriage equality was a elongated 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 adore, is recognized equally under the law.

A Growing Call for Equality

Efforts to legalize same-sex marriage began to pop up across the nation 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 good as those denied by their given state. The Defense of Marriage Operate was signed into law in and defined marriage by the federal government as between a man and

Is same sex marriage legal in all 50 states?

For decades, one of the main objectives of the LGBT rights movements has been the approval of the same sex marriage, so that everyone can marry freely with the person of thier option, without any kind of prejudice. 

Although it is basically a right to which everyone has had access since ancient Greece and even before, it is also a right that has been prohibited in many countries around the world for same-sex couples, denying them the opportunity to legally formalize their relationship. 

In the case of the United States, after years of activism and on the part of the different fronts and movements in favor of gay rights, tiny by little the states were approving and recognizing same sex unions, until , when similar sex marriage finally became legal in all 50 states of the country. 

Nevertheless, in the nature there are still many countries where same sex marriage is illegal, and even punishable by severe penalties. If you dwell in one of these places, or feel that in your country your life is in danger because of your sexual orient

VICE, CRIME, AND AMERICAN LAW

Marriage laws are not federal. Each state has always been free to resolve its own laws concerning marriage. The first major legal case involving same-sex attracted marriage occurred in Hawaii in At that period the Hawaii Supreme Court ruled that the mention could not prohibit lgbtq+ marriages without providing a "compelling reason." Shortly after, courts in Alaska reached the same conclusion. The legislatures of both states responded to the courts by pushing through amendments to their state constitutions which prohibited all same-sex attracted marriages. Since then 37 states have enacted a ban on gay marriages in some form.

In addition, congress passed the "defense of marriage act" (DOMA) in DOMA sought to accomplish two things. First, DOMA prevents the federal government from knowing any gay marriage by defining marriage as between one man and one woman. This would enable that a gay couple could be married under state law but the federal government would not recognize the existence of a marriage. Second, DOMA provides a shield allowing a state to deny to recognize a homosexual