Hawaii passed gay marriage!

[Stephanie66]

I see lots of tourism dollars!!

(This makes it state #15!)

Also, the city of Chattanooga passed domestic partner benefits.

[Trynn]

Come on Michigan, you can do it! be number 16!

[quincygal]

yay!!!!!

[FloraKitty35]

Come on PA, stop losing money to NY/DE/NJ!

[Stephanie66]

I honestly think it's gaining momentum at this point. Once the military makes states recognize gay marriage in non-gay-marriage states, it's going to be pretty swift.

[thoughtful]

Bravo, Hawaii!

[crazyforkate]

You think we're happy, just imagine the destination wedding businesses!

[anjulibai]

Come on Michigan, you can do it! be number 16!

Hawaii is #16 - be #17 Michigan!

Though, I think Oregan or Colorado will be next, personally, based on their general left-leaning-ness and the fact that they already have domestic partnerships/civil unions.

[anjulibai]

BTW, just calculated it, but when gay marriage takes affect in Illinois in June, about 37% of the US will live under gay marriage.

[Dinaberries]

I'm so proud of my home state! Several of my friends were involved in helping to make this happen and I'm so proud of them too. And this is going to be so good for our economy!

[ILoveJellybeans]

Yay, that's awesome

[Stephanie66]

Hawaii is #16 - be #17 Michigan!

Though, I think Oregan or Colorado will be next, personally, based on their general left-leaning-ness and the fact that they already have domestic partnerships/civil unions.

OK, who did I miss?

Oh...Illinois! Sorry about that Illinois.

Kind-of fun to look at the timeline and how things are really rolling now.

2004--Massachusetts

2005- Canada, because they have it together

2008- California giveth, California taketh away, Connecticut

2009- Iowa, Vermont

2010-DC, New Hampshire

2011-New York

2012- Maine, Washington

2013- California (for reelz) New Jersey, Minnesota, Delaware, Rhode Island, Maryland, Illinois and Hawaii.

[Peas n carrots]

Isn't New Mexico supposedly debating right now as well?

I wouldn't be surprised if Oregon/Colorado go that way in a couple years.

Although Florida is still pretty conservative, I could see them turning it around in a few years. That would be a boon to the tourist economy there (and Xgay Greg may consider going gay again LOL).

ETA I would think Nevada would want to legalize as well considering Vegas is already a major wedding destination.

[Stephanie66]

Isn't New Mexico supposedly debating right now as well?

I wouldn't be surprised if Oregon/Colorado go that way in a couple years.

Although Florida is still pretty conservative, I could see them turning it around in a few years. That would be a boon to the tourist economy there (and Xgay Greg may consider going gay again LOL).

ETA I would think Nevada would want to legalize as well considering Vegas is already a major wedding destination.

If NM gets it, it will be through the courts, and yes, they are working on it. I don't know how their high court could say no when other courts have already ruled.

I am surprised Oregon hasn't yet, really. And I really thought Hawaii would have been all over this ten years ago, since they already had civil unions and tourism!

I really do believe the patchwork of states thing is going to end in one fell swoop, either with a Supreme Court ruling or the US Military forcing the issue. Either way, it is going to happen. It would be hilarious if it does end up being the military that forces Alabama to accept gay marriage. (There are issues right now with the National Guard troops and military troops stationed in non-gay marriage states, as the military accepts their marriage status but the state does not. That could be the tipping point.) But I really don't think the state-by-state thing is going to go on much longer.

Wisconsin apparently has a "one man, one woman" anti-gay marriage amendment in their constitution, as do a bunch of other states. Those will probably have to be decided by a SCOTUS ruling. I was surprised Wisconsin had that, but then I remembered...Walker. Funny, how we are neighbors and SO different.

[Mama Mia]

If NM gets it, it will be through the courts, and yes, they are working on it. I don't know how their high court could say no when other courts have already ruled.

I am surprised Oregon hasn't yet, really. And I really thought Hawaii would have been all over this ten years ago, since they already had civil unions and tourism!

I really do believe the patchwork of states thing is going to end in one fell swoop, either with a Supreme Court ruling or the US Military forcing the issue. Either way, it is going to happen. It would be hilarious if it does end up being the military that forces Alabama to accept gay marriage. (There are issues right now with the National Guard troops and military troops stationed in non-gay marriage states, as the military accepts their marriage status but the state does not. That could be the tipping point.) But I really don't think the state-by-state thing is going to go on much longer.

Wisconsin apparently has a "one man, one woman" anti-gay marriage amendment in their constitution, as do a bunch of other states. Those will probably have to be decided by a SCOTUS ruling. I was surprised Wisconsin had that, but then I remembered...Walker. Funny, how we are neighbors and SO different.

Considering how incredibly quickly it has spread state by state I think it will sweep through the rest of the east coast and western states within a year or two, and all but a handful of hold-out southern states by the end of the decade. A federal law might be needed in ten years if there are still hold outs, but given the momentum it would probably build up more popular support even among conservatives if it was enacted by each state.

[lawlifelgbt]

I thought SCOTUS was going to get to the question of same-sex marriage in the states next term?

[RachelB]

OK, who did I miss?

Oh...Illinois! Sorry about that Illinois.

Kind-of fun to look at the timeline and how things are really rolling now.

2004--Massachusetts

2005- Canada, because they have it together

2008- California giveth, California taketh away, Connecticut

2009- Iowa, Vermont

2010-DC, New Hampshire

2011-New York

2012- Maine, Washington

2013- California (for reelz) New Jersey, Minnesota, Delaware, Rhode Island, Maryland, Illinois and Hawaii.

Not a bad year on the equality front!

[Stephanie66]

Yeah, 2013 was a banner year (and New Mexico *might* squeak it out this year, but probably not)

I have a really good friend in Alabama. She said that the PEOPLE in Alabama are really not against gay marriage. It's the legislators who are. AND, they have a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage that they have to do something with before they can get it.

There is a case from Tennessee that I believe will be going to the SCOTUS next year. They married somewhere else and would like TN to honor their marriage. The military thing is also happening. (Military is trying to figure out how to handle same-sex marriages that are legal in the military, but not in the state the military is based in.) So either of those things could be the "fell swoop" that just makes it go across the country. Heck, even if they just force the states with active military bases...that's most of the red states.

[ADoyle90815]

Isn't New Mexico supposedly debating right now as well?

I wouldn't be surprised if Oregon/Colorado go that way in a couple years.

Although Florida is still pretty conservative, I could see them turning it around in a few years. That would be a boon to the tourist economy there (and Xgay Greg may consider going gay again LOL).

ETA I would think Nevada would want to legalize as well considering Vegas is already a major wedding destination.

I'm not that sure about Nevada since it's actually a very conservative state once you leave downtown Las Vegas and the Strip. The Mormon population in the state itself is significant enough to influence state politics, and enough Mormons are willing to keep Harry Reid in the Senate by crossing party lines because of his religion. On the other hand, I do think Nevada would allow gay marriage before Utah does, especially if it's seen as beneficial to the economy through the tourism and wedding industries.

[lilwriter85]

I'm not that sure about Nevada since it's actually a very conservative state once you leave downtown Las Vegas and the Strip. The Mormon population in the state itself is significant enough to influence state politics, and enough Mormons are willing to keep Harry Reid in the Senate by crossing party lines because of his religion. On the other hand, I do think Nevada would allow gay marriage before Utah does, especially if it's seen as beneficial to the economy through the tourism and wedding industries.

I agree with this. Utah will probably one of the last states years from now to allow gay marriage. On the topic of New Mexico and gay marriage, I live in NM and the state supreme court is expected to rule by the end of the year and many legal experts are predicting the court will rule in favor of gay marriage.