Same-Sex Marriage Now Legal in More Than 1 in 5 States

Religion Today | Updated: May 10, 2013

Same-Sex Marriage Now Legal in More Than 1 in 5 States

With congressional votes less than a week apart from each other, Rhode Island and Delaware both have legalized same-sex marriage, which, according to The New York Times, represents the "latest in a string of victories for those working to extend marital rights to gay and lesbian couples," Christianity Today reports. Rhode Island came first, following what the Associated Press called "a 16-year effort to extend marriage rights in this heavily Roman Catholic state." Days later, Delaware became the 11th state to legalize gay marriage. Similar votes will soon take place in Minnesota and Illinois, where the GOP chair recently resigned over the issue. However, in spite of the recent victories for gay marriage supporters, the Times notes that "short of a sweeping decision by the Supreme Court that same-sex marriage is a right, change could come more slowly in the coming years. Thirty states have adopted constitutional amendments limiting marriage to a man and a woman -- measures that can be reversed only with public ballots."



Same-Sex Marriage Now Legal in More Than 1 in 5 States