This week, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in two cases concerning same-sex marriage. One case hinges on the constitutionality of California’s Proposition 8, which bans such marriages in the state. The other case challenges the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage as only between a man and a woman. The 1996 federal law denies federal benefits to legally married gay and lesbian couples. The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to announce a ruling in both cases in late June. Here’s the AC360° 411 on the battle over same-sex marriage:
- 2001: The Netherlands became the first country to legalize same-sex marriage
- Since then, 11 other countries have legally recognized same-sex marriages:
- Belgium (2003)
- Canada (2005)
- Spain (2005)
- South Africa (2006)
- Sweden (2009)
- Norway (2009)
- Argentina (2010)
- Iceland (2010)
- Portugal (2010)
- Brazil (2011)
- Denmark (2012)
- May 17, 2004: Massachusetts became the first U.S. state to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Marcia Kadish, 56, and Tanya McCloskey, 52, of Malden, marry at Cambridge City Hall, becoming the first legally married same-sex partners in the United States.
- Since then, 8 other states and Washington, D.C. have legalized same-sex marriage:
- Connecticut
- Vermont
- Iowa
- New Hampshire
- New York
- Maryland
- Washington
- Maine
- 5 states legally allow civil unions, but not same-sex marriages:
- New Jersey
- Illinois
- Delaware
- Rhode Island
- Hawaii
- 38 U.S. states have banned same-sex marriage, either through legislation or constitutional amendments:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Virginia
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
- September 21, 1996: President Bill Clinton signs the Defense of Marriage Act, which bans federal recognition of a same-sex marriage and defines marriage as “a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife.”
- February 12 – March 11, 2004: Nearly 4,000 same-sex couples get marriage licenses in San Francisco, California.
- March 11, 2004: The California Supreme Court orders San Francisco to stop issuing marriage license to same-sex couples.
- September 30, 2004: The U.S. House of Representatives rejects an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to prohibit same-sex marriage.
- November 2, 2004: 11 states pass constitutional amendments defining marriage as being between a man and a woman only:
- Arkansas
- Georgia
- Kentucky
- Michigan
- Mississippi
- Montana
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Utah
- March 14, 2005: A California Superior Court rules the state’s law that limits marriage to between a man and a woman is unconstitutional.
- September 6, 2005: The California Legislature passes a bill to legalize same-sex marriage.
- September 29, 2005: California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoes the same-sex marriage bill.
- November 7, 2006: Constitutional amendments to ban same-sex marriage are approved in seven states:
- Colorado
- Idaho
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Meanwhile, Arizona voters reject a proposed ban in their state.
- May 15, 2008: The California Supreme Court rules that the state’s ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional.
- November 4, 2008: Proposition 8 is approved by California voters 52% to 48%, amending the state constitution to ban same-sex marriage.
- August 4, 2010: A judge from the U.S. District Court in the Northern District of California rules that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional.
- February 7, 2012: A three-judge panel with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco rules that Proposition 8 violates the Constitution.
- November 6, 2012: For the first-time, same-sex marriage is approved by a popular vote in the U.S. when voters in Maryland, Washington and Maine pass referendums legalizing such marriages. Meanwhile, voters in Minnesota reject a ban on same-sex marriages.
- An estimated 120,000 same-sex couples have gotten married in the U.S.
- 1,100 – The number of federal benefits to marriage, including Social Security survivor benefits and estate tax exemptions.
- 646,000 – The number of same-sex-couple households in the United States in 2010, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
- 80.4% - The percentage growth of same-sex couple households in the U.S. between 2000 and 2010, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
- 10% - The percentage of people identifying as LGBT living in Washington, D.C., according to a 2012 Gallup Poll. This is the highest percentage in the country.
- 1.7% - The percentage of people identifying as LGBT living in North Dakota, according to a 2012 Gallup Poll. This is the lowest percentage in the country.
- 115,064 - Number of same-sex couple households in the United States with children, according to the U.S. Census Bureau
- 56% - The percentage of people who say the federal government should legally recognize same-sex marriages, with 43% disagreeing, according to a new CNN/ORC poll.