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Loading ...Gay marriage interactive map
You need to see this.
Really.
The LA Times has an interactive map (oh, I wish it were embeddable!!) that flicks through the way states went from being neutral toward same-sex couples, to slightly for, to decidedly against, to the current mixed bag.
I’m hopeful in the next year that we’ll see more green (for more rights). New Jersey looks good if Corzine is re-elected governor this month. Insiders say that New York has the votes (if not the organization) to get marriage passed there. And a civil unions bill is likely to hit Illinois (though it’s not likely to pass).Of course, we might lose marriage in Maine, despite a strong campaign there; and Washington State may say nyet to domestic partnerships.
I can’t wait to see a similar map next year. Or five years from now.
What do you think are the next five states to grant marriage equality?
The New Jersey legislature is likely to vote on marriage equality next month (November 2009). Even if Corzine loses his re-election (and polls are trending in his favor), his current term of office continues until January of 2010. So New Jersey will likely be the next state to achieve marriage equality, and within the next 6 weeks. The NJ public supports it, Governor Corzine supports it, and a slight majority of legislators supports it.
Bystander – I went to Pride in Providence, RI this year and what the locals were saying was their homophobic governor was the roadblock but he’s term-limited and out this year so 2011 really could happen. If we get RI and ME that would pretty much shame NY and NJ into getting their act together and that would really get the ball rolling nation-wide. That said, I’m nervous about Maine…
I say “hit’em where it hurts” i.e. in the
wallet. A state like Virginia which has
a long history of hateful hypocracy towards minorities , especially our people. We need to boycott agressively
by not doing business with companies
based there (unless they offer same-sex benefits to employees, etc.) and not spending our money there. We must spread the word to our straight friends and familes to join in on this. This is the only way our brothers and sisters who live there will have better lives there.
The new governor will probably be a
republican (way ahead in polls) and he is a homophobe of the highest order. These people need to be put on notice (which I for one will do via letters)
that any anti-gay laws (this guy wants
to raise taxes on gays because he says we are sinners!) will be fought.
Maine will likely end up voting again gay marriage in referendum in a few weeks (turnout among conservatives will likely be much higher than those on the left.)
Same with California in 2010. 2012 might be possible though….
Corzine will be defeated for re-election.
New York on the other hand has a chance at enacting marriage if the bill can actually come to an up or down vote in the Senate, but only before the 2010 election.
I really don’t know about Rhode Island or Maryland but 2011 sounds way to soon. The trouble is there are very few state where there is actually a majority of people who support gay marriage, and Pol’s always follow public opinion (they HAVE to.)
The Conservative base will be much more motivated and energized than the left till at 2010, that doesn’t bode well for policies like gay marriage and such. The only way for these policies to win out is if someone actually goes out and starts convincing people they are good things
@cestlefun17: Congress can still overturn the measure during the 30-day review process so marriage equality in DC is still not a done deal. Given that there isn’t much Congressional enthusiasm for getting DoMA repealed and a majority of States currently have State-constitutional bans on gay marriage, there’s plenty of opportunity for them block this.
Also, I’ve heard a number of people, including a New York state senator, express the idea that marriage equality will be achieved in New York before the year ends, so we might see NY beat out DC.
@gayactivist101: Your timetables don’t inspire much confidence when you can’t even spell the names of six States correctly (i.e., Massachusetts, Delaware, Pennsylvania, North/South Dakota, and Minnesota) and haven’t provide any logic to back up such grand claims (i.e., namely that you can predict what will happen 90 years into the future).
Maine and California may very well have marriage equality in 2009 and 2010, respectively. Maine is too close to tell and California’s amendment only passed by a two-percent margin, so it seems plausible that it could be overturned by next year assuming that they manage to get it on the ballot.
The idea that you consign New York and New Jersey to 11 years in the future also doesn’t seem realistic. Both of them are currently expected to grant marriage equality within this year or the next.
Finally, I can’t see Idaho legalizing this within 7 years barring a Supreme Court ruling; that State is just too conservative.
Maryland will not same-sex marriage in 2011 – they only just had domestic partnerships since 2008. It usually takes about 7 to 10 years from a few legal relationships rights to full marriage. California will not have same-sex marriage in 2010 – but it will happen in 2012 (with a 60 percent approval rating) that I know!!!
Remember that DC has to undergo a 30 day Congress review period so I do not think that Congress will like the same-sex marriage law in DC (if it ever does pass the unicameral Council).
Unicameral (for those who do not understand) means a Government with only one house (eg just an Assembly). It is much easier to pass legislation with this model.
Bicameral means a Government with two houses (eg a House of Reps and a Senate).
Very few governments across the world have a tricameral model (three houses).
Here they are as an activist for marriage (5 in 2009 already, Maine will not have same sex marriage because of the peoples veto and remember 1 state Massacusetts back in 2004):
* All of New England by 2013 (because of delays in both Maine and Rhode Island).
* All of the north west by 2016 (Oregon, Washington state, Montana and Idaho).
* All of the north east by 2020 (includes New Jersey, New York, Pansaylvania, West Virginia and Maryland – not Dalaware see below)
* All of the mid-west by 2025 (Kansas, North and South Decoda, Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana, Missouri and Minnesoda). Iowa started it all in the mid-west for 4 hours in 2007 then in April 2009!!!!
* All of the south west by 2030 (Arizona, Colorado, Wyoming and New Mexico).
* All the northern states will have same-sex marriage by 2045 when both Michigan and Dalaware provides it in 2045.
* Finally Utah (because of mormans), Mississippi, Oklahoma, Lousiana, Virginia, Alabama, Texas and Florida will be the last in the south to finally have same-sex marriage in 2099 (that I am certain for sure). Look back on the interracial marriage ban map in 1967 they were all still red on the map!!!!
The next 5 will be:
* ) The District of Columbia will be next although it is not a state. The law will certainly be passed in December and take effect in January.
1) New Jersey — 2009 (if Corzine is re-elected)
2) New York — 2010
3) California — 2010
4) Rhode Island — 2011
5) Maryland — 2011 or later
The only other states we have a shot in are Washington and Oregon. After that we’ll have to wait until a federal Supreme Court mandate.
Some day the entire map will be hunter green. Even Utah and Mississippi. It’s only a matter of time. Keep pushing guys, equality wins out in the end in this country.