The Supreme Court is hearing cases about California's Proposition 8 and the Defense of Marriage Act this spring. Here are the states LGBT advocates want to move to the “marriage equality” column by June, when the court's big decisions traditionally are released.
Image by John Gara/Buzzfeed
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court is taking up two cases related to the marriage rights of gay and lesbian couples, three states' voters approved marriage equality at the polls in November and conservative former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said this past week he can accept the "reality" of marriage between same-sex couples as a "legal document issued by the state."
In his comments to The Huffington Post, Gingrich said, "[T]he reality is going to be that in a number of American states — and it will be more after 2014 — gay relationships will be legal, period." Coming off the victories in Maryland, Maine and Washington — as well as the defeat of an amendment to ban same-sex couples from marrying in Minnesota — there are several states where advocates are looking to move on marriage equality in the coming months.
As Freedom to Marry's national campaign director, Marc Solomon, told BuzzFeed, "It's crucially important during the next six months to build on the powerful momentum of the four ballot victories and win additional states, creating the most favorable climate possible for the US Supreme Court to rule our way."
Here's a look at the seven states — or, depending on the Supreme Court, more — where advocates hope to see marriage equality in the first six months of 2013.
Illinois
Image by M. Spencer Green / AP
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn supports marriage equality, and advocates are looking to push a bill in the first month of 2013. "Public sentiment is moving fast on this," state Sen. Heather Steans told the Chicago Tribune. “It’s just a wave now. It’s moving very quickly."
Anticipating the fight, the "Coalition to Protect Children and Marriage" was unveiled by opponents of the bill Dec. 18, and it includes the Illinois Family Institute, Eagle Forum of Illinois, Abstinence and Marriage Partnership, Illinois Citizens for Life PAC, Lake County Right to Life, Concerned Christian Americans and Family-Pac.
The state already has civil unions, and two ongoing lawsuits, brought by Lambda Legal and the American Civil Liberties Union, challenge whether the differential treatment is constitutional under the Illinois Constitution.
