Same-sex marriage in the United States

Same-sex marriage, often referred to as gay marriage, indicates a marriage between two persons of the same sex.

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In the United States, the push to obtain the legal protections of civil marriage such as health insurance, hospital visitation and social security survivor benefits for same-sex families has been taking shape since the early 1970s and is supported by an assortment of groups such as the Human Rights Campaign, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, National Organization for Women, United Farm Workers Union (Hispanic labor union), American Civil Liberties Union, American Psychiatric Association and Reform Judaism. This effort did not reach widespread national attention until the 1990s after a series of court rulings, legislative votes and political actions encouraged supporters.

Related Topics:
Legal protections of civil marriage - 1970s - Human Rights Campaign - National Association for the Advancement of Colored People - National Organization for Women - American Civil Liberties Union - American Psychiatric Association - Reform Judaism - 1990s

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The same political and legal events also gave rise to a counter movement to freeze the status quo by legally defining traditional marriage, the marriage of one woman to one man. This would have the effect of excluding non-heterosexual families from the legal protections of marriage. It is supported by President George W. Bush, most Republicans in Congress and groups such as the Christian Coalition, Focus on the Family, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Roman Catholic Church. This counter movement was widely credited (or blamed) in some quarters for motivating voter turnout in the 2004 elections to support the Republican Party.

Related Topics:
President - George W. Bush - Republicans - Christian Coalition - Focus on the Family - Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - Roman Catholic Church

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As of September 2005 in the United States, the state of Massachusetts recognizes same-sex marriage, while California, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maine, New Jersey and Vermont grant persons in same-sex unions a similar legal status to those in a civil marriage by domestic partnership, civil union or reciprocal beneficiary laws.

Related Topics:
Massachusetts - California - Connecticut - District of Columbia - Hawaii - Maine - New Jersey - Vermont

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Sixteen states have constitutional amendments explicitly barring the recognition of same-sex marriage, confining civil marriage to a legal union between a man and a woman. Twenty-seven states have legal statutes defining marriage to two persons of the opposite-sex. A small number of states ban any legal recognition of same-sex unions that would be equivalent to civil marriage.

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Some believe that the legal implications of the debate extend beyond the lesbian and gay population and that heterosexual couples have had their marriages voided by new laws that ban same-sex marriage. For instance, they would argue that couples that were genetically of the same gender either as the result of intersex status or a previous sex reassignment surgery of one of the spouses have had their marriages invalidated. Others, however, argue that such marriages do not fit the definition of traditional marriages.

Related Topics:
Lesbian and gay - Heterosexual - Intersex - Sex reassignment surgery

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