Marriage Equality

Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or gender identity. Legal recognition of same-sex marriage is sometimes referred to as marriage equality, particularly by advocates and supporters.

Since 2000, eleven countries (Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, South Africa, Sweden) have legalized same-sex marriage, as have parts of Brazil and Mexico. In 2013, bills to legalize same-sex marriage were passed in Uruguay, New Zealand and France, although those laws have not yet taken effect.

In the United States, same-sex marriage is legal in nine states (Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont and Washington), and in the District of Columbia. (Same-sex marriage will become legal in Delaware on July 1, 2013, and in Rhode Island on August 1, 2013.)

Archives | Mentions:

Page 85 of 102« First...102030...848586...90100...Last »
ca-supreme-ct

California Supreme Court won’t expedite ruling on key issue in Prop 8 case

Wednesday, March 2, 2011
The California Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected a request by the attorneys fighting Proposition 8 to expedite the time line for deciding a key legal question of standing. [ Read more → ]
doma-protests

DOJ – DOMA aftermath: Swell or tsunami?

Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Political decisions are a lot like oceanic earthquakes. First, there’s the quake, and then there’s the wave. So it is with the decision by the Obama Department of Justice to call the Defense of Marriage Act -- or DOMA -- unconstitutional. [ Read more → ]
Jill Carter (left) and Tiffany

Baltimore delegates delay key vote on passage of Maryland gay marriage bill

Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Two Democrats blocked a critical vote on the Civil Marriage Protection Act in the Maryland House of Delegate's Judiciary Committee late Tuesday afternoon, stalling the measure from advancing to the full House as quickly as previously expected. [ Read more → ]
wyoming-bucking-horse

Wyoming House committee passes bill to invalidate out-of-state gay marriages

Tuesday, March 1, 2011
In the final minutes of the day, a House committee voted 4-2 on Tuesday to approve a bill which would invalidate same-sex marriages performed out-of-state. The bill has until Thursday to pass both the House and the Senate. [ Read more → ]
Sens. Eric Cantor (left) and John Boehner

House GOP leaders working on plan to defend DOMA

Tuesday, March 1, 2011
In response to the Obama administration's decision to stop defending the unconstitutional Defense of Marriage Act in court, House Republicans are now saying they are looking to have a plan in place by late this week to defend the law themselves. [ Read more → ]
Kamala Harris

California AG asks federal appeals court to lift stay on gay marriage ruling

Tuesday, March 1, 2011
California's attorney general on Tuesday urged a federal appeals court to lift a stay and permit same-sex unions to resume while it considers whether to overturn the state's ban on gay marriage. [ Read more → ]
maryland

Maryland House committee set to vote on marriage equality bill

Monday, February 28, 2011
A House committee could vote as early as Tuesday on a bill to legalize same-sex marriage in Maryland. The bill needs the support of 22 delegates to pass the committee -- sponsors of the bill hold 12 of the committee’s 22 seats. [ Read more → ]
wyoming-capitol

Wyoming anti-gay marriage bill dies in state legislature

Monday, February 28, 2011
A proposed amendment to the Wyoming Constitution that would have banned recognition of same-sex marriages performed in other states, expired Friday when it missed a procedural deadline set in the state House. [ Read more → ]
Fienstein

Democrats poised to introduce legislation to repeal ‘Defense of Marriage Act’

Sunday, February 27, 2011
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) has announced plans to introduce a bill in the U.S. Congress that would repeal the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), the law that defines marriage as a legal union between one man and one woman for purposes of all federal laws. [ Read more → ]
ia-gay-marriage

Poll: Iowans less interested in gay marriage than legislators think

Sunday, February 27, 2011
Marriage equality has been an intensely debated social issue in Iowa ever since the state Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage in 2009, but a new poll suggests many Iowans are either conflicted or just aren't interested in the debate. [ Read more → ]
mike_huckabee

Mike Huckabee: no equality for the LGBT ‘experiment’

Sunday, February 27, 2011
In case anyone ever wondered why I'm so emphatic about equal rights... here you go. This man -- Mike Huckabee -- who ran for president, does not want gays to marry, raise kids or serve their country. [ Read more → ]
gingrich

Newt Gingrich on the President’s decision to not defend DOMA

Sunday, February 27, 2011
Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the House and possible GOP Presidential candidate, on Friday criticized President Barack Obama for his decision to order the Department of Justice to stop defending the anti-gay Defense of Marriage Act. [ Read more → ]
maryland_state_seal

Maryland state Senate votes in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage

Thursday, February 24, 2011
ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- The Maryland state Senate on Thursday evening approved a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage. The Civil Marriage Protection Act, SB 116, was passed by a vote of 25-21. [ Read more → ]
iowa-flag

Iowa GOP proposes measure to halt issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples

Wednesday, February 23, 2011
GOP lawmakers in Iowa's House are putting forward a bill that would prohibit the state's county recorders from issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples until a public vote on a constitutional amendment is passed. [ Read more → ]
hawaii

Hawaii governor signs same-sex civil unions bill into law

Wednesday, February 23, 2011
HONOLULU -- Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie signed same-sex civil unions into law Wednesday, granting same-sex and heterosexual couples the same rights, benefits and responsibilities as marriage under state law. [ Read more → ]
holder-boehner

AG Holder sends letter to Speaker Boehner explaining DOMA decision

Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Attorney General Eric Holder sent a letter to House Speaker Boehner on Wednesday explaining in further detail why he and President Barack Obama have made the decision to stop defending the Defense Of Marriage Act in court. Full text [...] [ Read more → ]
doma

Justice department will not defend constitutionality of Section 3 of DOMA

Wednesday, February 23, 2011
The Obama administration made a blockbuster announcement Wednesday, saying it has concluded that one part of the Defense of Marriage Act will not be able to pass constitutional muster in the 2nd Circuit and that DOJ would not defend that part of the law in two pending cases in that circuit. [ Read more → ]
Alex Mooney

Maryland GOP urges voters to pressure Democrats to vote against gay marriage

Monday, February 21, 2011
The Maryland Republican Party was working overtime this weekend, urging residents to pressure state senators into voting against a bill legalizing gay marriage, which is expected to come up for debate this week. [ Read more → ]
NOM

Surprise! NOM-funded poll says Maryland voters are against marriage equality

Sunday, February 20, 2011
Just as Maryland legislators are expected to debate a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage, a new poll by the National Organization for Marriage suggests (surprise!) that voters believe that marriage "should only be between a man and a woman." [ Read more → ]
maine_state_seal

Judge upholds Maine campaign finance challenge brought by anti-gay NOM

Sunday, February 20, 2011
A federal judge has ruled that Maine's campaign finance disclosure law is constitutional, rejecting a challenge by the National Organization for Marriage over its refusal to disclose identities of donors who contributed to its anti-gay marriage campaign. [ Read more → ]
Page 85 of 102« First...102030...848586...90100...Last »
        News Tips / Contact Us Join our Mailing List
Receive our nightly report of all the day's news.
Thank you. Please check your email now to confirm your subscription, and please be sure to add [email protected] to your safe senders list.
Thank you! Your message has been sent.