Gay Marriage by State 2024

Gay marriage, also known as same-sex marriage, is the marriage of people of the same sex or gender.

In 1970, a same-sex couple in Minnesota applied for a marriage license and was denied. The case was brought to the Minnesota Supreme Court and brought the question of civil marriage rights for same-sex couples to the public attention. Unfortunately, many of these early cases were unsuccessful. Gay marriages made progress in the 1980s, when Berkeley, California, passes the country’s first domestic partnership law. In 1987, the first mass same-sex wedding ceremony took place on the National Mall, where almost 2,000 same-sex couples were married. In 1989, court rulings in New York and California defined same-sex couples as families.

Massachusetts became the first state to legalize gay marriage in 2003. California and Connecticut legalized gay marriage in 2008, followed by Iowa, Vermont, and New Hampshire. Legalization came through state courts, the enactment of state legislation, or the result of the decisions of federal courts until 2012. On November 6, 2012, Maine, Maryland, and Washington became the first states to legalize gay marriage through a popular vote. On June 26, 2015, in the landmark case of Obergefell vs. Hodges, the Supreme Court ruled that it is unconstitutional for states to ban same-sex marriages. Despite this, not all states are abiding and have enacted constitutional or statutory bans on gay marriage known as “Defense of Marriage” acts.

Gay Marriage by State

As of 2020, 37 U.S. states and the District of Columbia have legalized gay marriage. Alabama, Missouri, and Alabama have done so with restrictions. Thirteen U.S. states have a ban on same-sex marriage; however, eight of these states have court rulings in favor of allowing same-sex marriage. In the 2020 election, Nevada became the first state to recognize gay marriage in a state constitution. The ballot question asked voters if they support an amendment recognizing marraige "as between couples regardless of gender."

Below are the states that have legalized gay marriage in the order in which they legalized. Dates are of the enactment or ruling. The following states have not legalized gay marriage:

Gay Marriage by State 2024

- While not every state has legalized marriage between LGBTQ+ individuals within its state lines, every state must recognize marriages conducted in other states. The June 26, 2015 US Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges confirmed that same-sex marriages are protected by the 14th Amendment, and the Respect for Marriage Act enshrined protections for LGBTQ+ marriages into national law in December 2022.

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State
Legality
Comprehensive Civil Union Or Domestic Partnership Law
Year Passed
Alabama2015
Arkansas2015
Florida2015
Georgia2015
Kansas2015
Kentucky2015
Louisiana2015
Michigan2015
Mississippi2015
Missouri2015
Nebraska2015
North Dakota2015
Ohio2015
South Dakota2015
Tennessee2015
Texas2015
Alaska2014
Arizona2014
Idaho2014
Indiana2014
Montana2014
North Carolina2014
Oklahoma2014
Pennsylvania2014
South Carolina2014
Utah2014
Virginia2014
West Virginia2014
Wisconsin2014
Wyoming2014
Colorado2013 (civil unions); 2014 (marriage)
California2013
Delaware2013
Minnesota2013
New Mexico2013
Rhode Island2013
Hawaii2012, 2013
Maine2012
Maryland2012
Washington2012
Illinois2011 (civil unions); 2013 (marriage)
New York2011
District of Columbia2010 (marriage); 2006 (domestic partnership)
New Hampshire2010
Nevada2009 (civil unions); 2014 (marriage)
Iowa2009
Vermont2009
Oregon2008 (domestic partnership); 2013 (out-of-state marriages); 2014 (marriage)
Connecticut2008
New Jersey2007 (civil unions); 2013 (marriage)
Massachusetts2004
showing: 51 rows

Gay Marriage by State 2024

Sources