Why is gay marriage allowed in the us

Gay and lesbian Americans have been calling for the right to marry, or at least to create more formalized relationships, since the s, but same-sex marriage has only emerged as a national issue within the last 20 years. The spark that started the debate occurred in Hawaii in , when the Hawaii Supreme Court ruled that an existing law banning same-sex marriage would be unconstitutional unless the state government could show that it had a compelling reason for discriminating against gay and lesbian couples.

US Supreme Court rules gay marriage is legal nationwide

Slovenia Europe First country in formerly communist Eastern Europe to legalize same-sex marriage. South Africa Sub-Saharan Africa Only African country where same-sex marriage is legal; several countries on the continent have passed laws in recent years that ban homosexuality.

Same-Sex Marriage Around the World

Overview of Same-Sex Marriage in the United States

The Defense of Marriage Act was signed into law in and defined marriage by the federal government as between a man and woman, thereby allowing states to deny marriage equality. As the Supreme Court decision in Lawrence v. Texas struck down sodomy laws in , another victory was celebrated as Massachussetts became the first state to legalize same-sex marriage via a court ruling.