What's Happening In Other States?

Marriage Equality Map

Marriage Equality: Where Things Stand in the States

5 states have Marriage equality. Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont and Maine.

Massachusetts has marriage equality!

Washington state's Supreme Court recently ruled against marriage equality.  An appeal is being considered.  The California state Supreme Court has agreed to hear a marriage equality case, and will be expected to rule on it by the end of 2007.

* In November 2004, voters in 13 states adopted constitutional amendments barring  marriage equality:

Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Ohio, Oregon and Utah.

* In 2005, Texas and Kansas followed suit.

* In 2006, voters in Colorado, Idaho, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin will vote on the issue.  Also in 2006, Arizona became the first state to not pass a constitutional amendment at the polls when they defeated the ballot measure 51.4 to 48.6 percent. 

* New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut and New Jersey allow civil unions.

::View the map of the status of anti-marriage equality efforts in the US::

(last updated 2/1/07)

Around the World

These countries currently have marriage equality: Canada, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands and South Africa. 

Many other countries -- including France, Britan, Norway, Denmark, New Zealand, Argentina, Sweden and Uruguay -- have civil unions or similar legal recognitions of gay and lesbian relationships. 

For more information on international equality, check out the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission: www.iglhrc.org

Around New England

• Connecticut - Love Makes a Family is working to expand Connecticut’s marriage laws to include gay and lesbian couples.
  

• Maine - Maine Lesbian Gay Political Alliance is the state’s oldest and largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender political advocacy organization.
  

• Massachusetts - Freedom to Marry Massachusetts is headlong into their battle through the court system in their state.
  

• Rhode Island - MERI is a grassroots movement that seeks legal recognition of lesbian and gay civil marriage in Rhode Island.
  

• Vermont - Freedom to Marry Task Force is working hard to keep their right to enter into a civil union and working to expand the right to civil marriage to all VT citizens. 

United States

• California - Equality California is making slow but steady progress in providing the most equality for their citizens.
  
  
• Florida - is a statewide education and advocacy organization dedicated to eliminating discrimination based on sexual orientation, race, class and gender (including identity and expression).
  
  
• Georgia - Georgia Equality is the political and advocacy voice of Georgia's lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender citizens and their allies.
  
  
• Hawaii - Hawaii started us all off and is still fighting the good fight.
  
  
• Kentucky - Kentucky Fairness Alliance seeks to advance equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people through leadership development, public education and by encouraging participation in the democratic process.
  
  
• Maryland - Equality Maryland (formerly Free State Justice) - works to secure and protect the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Marylanders
  
  
• Michigan - Coalition for a Fair Michigan is a group of leaders and organizations committed to "keeping Michigan from adding a cruel amendment to our constitution" that would have broader effects beyond defining who can marry.
  
  
• Mississippi - Equality Mississippi's mission is to conduct public policy research and further public education on the social, political, economic and health issues affecting lesbian and gay Mississippians, and to protect the equal rights of all Mississippians.
  
  
• Missouri - PROMO is Missouri's statewide organization working for a variety of rights issues that affect the LGBT community, including parenting rights, civil union and domestic partner benefits, non-discrimination protections, safe schools legislation and other legislative goals that will improve the lives of all LGBT Missourians.
  
  
• New Mexico - Coalition for Equality in New Mexico is a federation of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and allied organizations from throughout New Mexico, which support full civil rights and an end to discrimination in all forms for all people.
  
  
• New York - Marriage Equality New York (MENY) is the founding chapter of Marriage Equality USA, a statewide, grass-roots organization committed to ending discrimination in civil marriage.
  
  
• North Carolina - Equality NC is a statewide organization dedicated to securing equality and justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people.
  
  
• Ohio - Equality Ohio is a statewide organization working to secure and protect equal rights for LGBT Ohioans. 
  
  
• Oregon - Basic Rights Oregon is committed to ending discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in Oregon.
  
  
• South Carolina - South Carolina Gay and Lesbian Pride Movement works to enlighten the general population with respect to gay, lesbian, transgender and bisexual issues and to peacefully to achieve equal protection under the law for all South Carolinians.
  
  
• Texas - Lesbian/Gay Rights Lobby of Texas works toward the elimination of social, legal, and economic discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity through lobbying, education, and research directed toward the Texas Legislature and other state governmental agencies.
  
  
• Utah - Equality Utah is the state's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender political advocacy group working to empower our community and allies to actively participate in all levels of the political process.
  
  
• Virginia - Equality Virginia Equality Virginia is a statewide, non-partisan, lobbying, education and support network for the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, and straight allied (GLBT) communities in Virginia.
  
  
• Washington - Equal Rights Washington is a nonprofit organization committed to achieving the legal right of civil marriage for gay and lesbian couples in Washington State.

Canada

• Canada – Canada's legislature passed marriage equality in 2005, and Same-Sex Marriage Canada is working to protect that right.