Supreme Court Rules Gay Marriage Legal7 min read
On Friday, June 26th, the US Supreme Court ruled that same-sex marriage is a constitutional right. This landmark decision means that gay and lesbian couples nationwide will now be able to marry, no matter what state they live in. The 5-4 ruling was written by Justice Anthony Kennedy and was joined by the court’s four more liberal justices.
The ruling was a major victory for the gay rights movement, which has fought for decades to win marriage equality. In his opinion, Justice Kennedy argued that same-sex couples are entitled to the same rights and protections as other Americans. “The nature of marriage is that, through its enduring bond, two persons together can find other freedoms, such as expression, intimacy, and spirituality,” he wrote. “This is true for all persons, whatever their sexual orientation.”
The ruling was also a major defeat for conservative opponents of gay marriage, who had argued that it was an attack on traditional family values. In his dissent, Justice Antonin Scalia blasted the majority opinion as “a naked judicial claim to legislative – indeed, super-legislative – power.”
The ruling makes the US the 21st country to legalize gay marriage nationwide. It follows a series of recent victories for the gay rights movement, including the legalization of gay marriage in 37 states and the District of Columbia.
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What states legalize gay marriage?
As of June 26, 2015, gay marriage is legal in all 50 states of the United States. This is a result of the Supreme Court’s ruling in the Obergefell vs. Hodges case, which found that state bans on gay marriage were unconstitutional.
Prior to the Obergefell vs. Hodges case, gay marriage was legal in 37 states and Washington, D.C. The states that had legalized gay marriage prior to the Obergefell vs. Hodges case were: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.
In the years since gay marriage became legal in these states, there have been a number of court cases and legislative battles over the issue. In many cases, opponents of gay marriage have argued that the definition of marriage should be left to the states, and that it should not be federally mandated.
However, the Supreme Court’s ruling in Obergefell vs. Hodges has settled the issue once and for all. All states must now recognize same-sex marriages, and must allow gay couples to marry on the same terms as heterosexual couples.
When was the first gay marriage legalized?
The first gay marriage to be legally recognized in the United States was between Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon in San Francisco on February 12, 2004. However, the first gay marriage to be performed in the United States was between two women in Massachusetts on May 17, 2004.
How did Obergefell v. Hodges violate the 14th Amendment?
Obergefell v. Hodges was a landmark United States Supreme Court case in which the Court held that the fundamental right to marry is guaranteed to same-sex couples by the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. While the Court’s decision was hailed by many as a victory for LGBT rights, others argued that the decision violated the Fourteenth Amendment by redefining marriage in a way that does not accord with the definition of marriage provided for in the Constitution.
One argument against the Court’s decision in Obergefell v. Hodges is that it violated the Fourteenth Amendment’s guarantee of equal protection under the law. The Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment provides that no state shall “deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” This clause prohibits the government from discriminating against any person or group of people based on race, sex, national origin, or other protected characteristics.
Critics of the Court’s decision in Obergefell v. Hodges argue that the definition of marriage provided for in the Constitution does not include same-sex couples, and that, as a result, the decision effectively redefined marriage in a way that violates the Equal Protection Clause. Others argue that the Court’s decision should be read narrowly to apply only to the specific circumstances of the case, and that it should not be interpreted as establishing a broader right to same-sex marriage.
Another argument against the Court’s decision in Obergefell v. Hodges is that it violated the Fourteenth Amendment’s guarantee of due process of law. The Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment provides that no state shall “deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.” This clause protects individuals from arbitrary or unlawful government action.
Critics of the Court’s decision in Obergefell v. Hodges argue that the definition of marriage provided for in the Constitution does not include same-sex couples, and that, as a result, the decision effectively redefined marriage in a way that violates the Due Process Clause. Others argue that the Court’s decision should be read narrowly to apply only to the specific circumstances of the case, and that it should not be interpreted as establishing a broader right to same-sex marriage.
When did each state allow gay marriage?
Since June 26, 2015, when the US Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, gay marriage has been legal in all 50 states. However, the legality of gay marriage has not always been so clear-cut.
The first state to legalize same-sex marriage was Massachusetts, in 2004. The decision was made by the state’s Supreme Judicial Court, which ruled that the state’s Constitution prohibited discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. The following year, Connecticut became the second state to legalize same-sex marriage.
In 2008, the tide began to turn, with California becoming the first state to ban same-sex marriage via a voter referendum. The ban was later overturned by the courts, but it was reinstated in 2012 after a successful appeal by supporters of the ban.
Meanwhile, several other states had begun to legalize same-sex marriage, including New York in 2011, Iowa in 2009, and Vermont in 2009.
The map below shows the timeline of when each state legalized same-sex marriage.
Who legalized gay marriage first in America?
The first state in America to legalize gay marriage was Massachusetts in 2004. This was after the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled that the state’s ban on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional.
When did gay marriage became legal in each state?
Since the Supreme Court legalized gay marriage nationwide in June of 2015, there have been many questions about when it became legal in each state. The answer, unfortunately, is not a simple one.
The legality of gay marriage has been determined on a state-by-state basis, with some states legalizing it years before the Supreme Court ruling, and others only legalizing it in the aftermath of the ruling.
The following is a list of when gay marriage became legal in each state, listed in chronological order.
Hawaii: December 2, 2013
New Mexico: December 19, 2013
Utah: December 20, 2013
Oklahoma: January 14, 2014
Virginia: February 13, 2014
Wisconsin: February 14, 2014
Indiana: March 26, 2014
West Virginia: April 10, 2014
South Carolina: May 9, 2014
North Carolina: May 14, 2014
South Dakota: June 16, 2014
Montana: July 9, 2014
Arkansas: July 18, 2014
Kentucky: July 20, 2014
Michigan: August 6, 2014
Ohio: August 7, 2014
Pennsylvania: August 12, 2014
New Hampshire: September 3, 2014
Colorado: October 6, 2014
Oregon: October 6, 2014
Idaho: October 7, 2014
Arizona: October 17, 2014
Wyoming: October 21, 2014
Kansas: October 31, 2014
Louisiana: November 21, 2014
Mississippi: December 10, 2014
Alabama: February 9, 2015
Florida: February 12, 2015
Georgia: February 12, 2015
Maine: February 12, 2015
Maryland: February 12, 2015
Massachusetts: February 12, 2015
Minnesota: February 12, 2015
Nevada: February 12, 2015
New Jersey: February 12, 2015
New York: February 12, 2015
North Dakota: February 12, 2015
Oklahoma: February 12, 2015
Rhode Island: February 12, 2015
Tennessee: February 12, 2015
Texas: February 12, 2015
Utah: February 12, 2015
Washington: February 12, 2015
West Virginia: February 12, 2015
Wyoming: February 12, 2015
What is the14th Amendment?
The 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified on July 9, 1868. The amendment addresses a number of civil rights issues, including equal protection under the law, due process, and the right to vote. The amendment was proposed in the aftermath of the Civil War, in an effort to ensure that the rights of freed slaves were protected.
The 14th Amendment is one of the most important amendments to the Constitution, and has been used to protect the rights of all Americans, regardless of race, ethnicity, or gender. The amendment has been used in numerous court cases, including Brown v. Board of Education, which overturned the segregation of schools.
The 14th Amendment is also notable for its provision that a person cannot be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law. This provision has been used to protect the rights of criminal defendants, and to ensure that people are not subjected to unfair treatment.
The 14th Amendment is a critical part of the Constitution, and has been instrumental in the advancement of civil rights in the United States.
