Introduction
Same sex marriage – also known as gay marriage – is legal at the federal level in the United States since 2015. However, laws differ at the state level. A majority of states have allowed same sex marriage. These states include Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. While the majority of states now allow same sex marriage, there are still some states where it remains prohibited. These states include Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Texas.
It is worth noting that the first state to legalize same sex marriage in the United States was Massachusetts, which did so in 2004. Since then, there has been a growing trend of acceptance and recognition of gay marriage across the country. The legalization of same sex marriage has been seen as a significant step towards achieving equality and civil rights for the LGBTQ+ community.
Gay Marriage by State
| State | Same Sex Marriage Ban Status |
|---|---|
| California | Banned by Constitution |
| Hawaii | Banned by Constitution |
| Nebraska | Banned by Constitution |
| Oregon | Banned by Constitution |
| Virginia | Banned by Constitution |
| Alabama | Banned by Constitution and Statute |
| Alaska | Banned by Constitution and Statute |
| Arizona | Banned by Constitution and Statute |
| Arkansas | Banned by Constitution and Statute |
| Colorado | Banned by Constitution and Statute |
| Florida | Banned by Constitution and Statute |
| Georgia | Banned by Constitution and Statute |
| Idaho | Banned by Constitution and Statute |
| Kansas | Banned by Constitution and Statute |
| Kentucky | Banned by Constitution and Statute |
| Louisiana | Banned by Constitution and Statute |
| Minnesota | Banned by Constitution and Statute |
| Mississippi | Banned by Constitution and Statute |
| Missouri | Banned by Constitution and Statute |
| Montana | Banned by Constitution and Statute |
| North Carolina | Banned by Constitution and Statute |
| North Dakota | Banned by Constitution and Statute |
| Ohio | Banned by Constitution and Statute |
| Oklahoma | Banned by Constitution and Statute |
| South Carolina | Banned by Constitution and Statute |
| South Dakota | Banned by Constitution and Statute |
| Tennessee | Banned by Constitution and Statute |
| Texas | Banned by Constitution and Statute |
| Utah | Banned by Constitution and Statute |
| Wisconsin | Banned by Constitution and Statute |
| Indiana | Banned by Statute |
| Iowa | Banned by Statute |
| Pennsylvania | Banned by Statute |
| West Virginia | Banned by Statute |
| Wyoming | Banned by Statute |
| Connecticut | Not Banned |
| Delaware | Not Banned |
| District of Columbia | Not Banned |
| Illinois | Not Banned |
| Maine | Not Banned |
| Maryland | Not Banned |
| Massachusetts | Not Banned |
| Michigan | Not Banned |
| Nevada | Not Banned |
| New Hampshire | Not Banned |
| New Jersey | Not Banned |
| New Mexico | Not Banned |
| New York | Not Banned |
| Rhode Island | Not Banned |
| Vermont | Not Banned |
| Washington | Not Banned |
Gay Marriage Laws by State
Alabama
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Banned by Constitution and Statute
Alaska
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Banned by Constitution and Statute
Arizona
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Banned by Constitution and Statute
Arkansas
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Banned by Constitution and Statute
California
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Banned by Constitution
Colorado
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Banned by Constitution and Statute
Connecticut
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Not Banned
Delaware
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Not Banned
District of Columbia
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Not Banned
Florida
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Banned by Constitution and Statute
Georgia
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Banned by Constitution and Statute
Hawaii
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Banned by Constitution
Idaho
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Banned by Constitution and Statute
Illinois
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Not Banned
Indiana
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Banned by Statute
Iowa
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Banned by Statute
Kansas
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Banned by Constitution and Statute
Kentucky
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Banned by Constitution and Statute
Louisiana
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Banned by Constitution and Statute
Maine
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Not Banned
Maryland
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Not Banned
Massachusetts
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Not Banned
Michigan
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Not Banned
Minnesota
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Banned by Constitution and Statute
Mississippi
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Banned by Constitution and Statute
Missouri
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Banned by Constitution and Statute
Montana
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Banned by Constitution and Statute
Nebraska
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Banned by Constitution
Nevada
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Not Banned
New Hampshire
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Not Banned
New Jersey
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Not Banned
New Mexico
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Not Banned
New York
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Not Banned
North Carolina
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Banned by Constitution and Statute
North Dakota
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Banned by Constitution and Statute
Ohio
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Banned by Constitution and Statute
Oklahoma
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Banned by Constitution and Statute
Oregon
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Banned by Constitution
Pennsylvania
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Banned by Statute
Rhode Island
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Not Banned
South Carolina
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Banned by Constitution and Statute
South Dakota
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Banned by Constitution and Statute
Tennessee
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Banned by Constitution and Statute
Texas
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Banned by Constitution and Statute
Utah
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Banned by Constitution and Statute
Vermont
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Not Banned
Virginia
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Banned by Constitution
Washington
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Not Banned
West Virginia
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Banned by Statute
Wisconsin
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Banned by Constitution and Statute
Wyoming
Same Sex Marriage Ban Status
Banned by Statute
FAQs
Is same sex marriage legal in all states ?
Same sex marriage is not legalized in all states but is legal at the federal level.
Which states allow same sex marriage ?
The states that allow same sex marriage are Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
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