When will (not should) America legalize gay marriage?

[kenny]

I realize many Americans feel gay marriage should never be legalized, but it is legal in an ever-growing number of countries.

Since DADT was repealed and gays can now serve their country openly, many Americans who oppose gay marriage concede that it is only a matter time before it gay marriage is legal nationally.

So in your opinion when, if ever, will gay marriage be legalized in all of America?

(BTW, tomorrow Obama is going to speak about the "evolution" of his perspective on gay marriage.)

 

[madelise]

I think it will be after 2020.

I'd love to be proved wrong. I just don't think the nation, as a whole, will be able to reach that consensus until then.

 

[Maisie]

My crystal ball is broken so I can't answer you

 

[Pandora II]

Should be 2012... but I doubt it will be.

Mind you, we need to move to marriage here rather than just civil partnerships. I'm hopeful that it will happen in the next 18 months or so.

I honestly don't get why people get their knickers in a twist over it - it doesn't affect their lives in anyway, it doesn't have a negative impact on anyone else, so what exactly is the problem? They need to grow up and find some real problems to think about!

I don't feel that my marriage is any different that that of the guy who runs reception - who sent round an email to let everyone know that he was taking his husband's surname. He had the best wedding-band in the building - 5 rows of micropave diamonds in 18kt wg - we used to plot to install decent lighting to show it off properly!

 

[vc10um]

Personally I doubt it will be taken up as a federal issue any time soon because the laws about marriage and the qualifications needed to obtain a marriage license is one of those things that's left up to the states. I hope many, many more states legalize gay marriage in the coming years, but all 50? Not until after 2020, I'm sorry to say.

 

[Snicklefritz]

Hindsight is 2020

 

[kenny]

Personally I doubt it will be taken up as a federal issue any time soon because the laws about marriage and the qualifications needed to obtain a marriage license is one of those things that's left up to the states. I hope many, many more states legalize gay marriage in the coming years, but all 50? Not until after 2020, I'm sorry to say.

Yes marriage is regulated at the state level not federal, but so was slavery.

 

[kenny]

My crystal ball is broken so I can't answer you

I think it goes without saying this is all just our opinions and guesses.

 

[StacylikesSparkles]

Probably not until after 2020 (which is total BS). My fingers are crossed that we keep it here in MD after the referendum.

 

[Kaleigh]

I am dissapointed it hasn't been legalized already.

 

[Imdanny]

...the laws about marriage and the qualifications needed to obtain a marriage license is one of those things that's left up to the states.

I'm sorry but this is incorrect. It is not "left up to the states" to ban interracial marriage, for example. There are already same sex marriage cases in the federal court system, although none has reached the Supreme Court yet.

 

[nkarma]

When it is legalized, which it eventually will like all civil rights legislation, I think it will not be by popular vote but through the legislature or by the court system like all other civil rights legislation. I would hate to see where we would be today if states were allowed to vote on desegregation and many other civil rights issues. Though there does seem to be some movement backwards in this country over the last few years in terms of equal rights (e.g. anti-abortion, equal pay, & women's health legislation for women in the past year, same sex marriage, and immigration laws targeted towards Latino minorities in Arizona and many other states). I have come to the conclusion that it is human nature to "fear" and consciously abuse those different from you, so this cycle will be never ending. Once we have same sex marriage, there will be some other minority (or not in the case of women) to denigrate. It' is something that has and will always happen throughout history.

 

[kenny]

I have come to the conclusion that it is human nature to "fear" and consciously abuse those different from you, so this cycle will be never ending.

Well put, and hence my "People vary" campaign.

 

[madelise]

http://www.gaypolitics.com/2012/05/09/breaking-obama-backs-marriage-equality/

Our president is the first president to officially support same-sex unions.



Big mark in gay history.

 

[iheartscience]

http://www.gaypolitics.com/2012/05/09/breaking-obama-backs-marriage-equality/

Our president is the first president to officially support same-sex unions.



Big mark in gay history.

LOVE MY PRESIDENT.

 

[kenny]

OMG!!!

I just peed my pants.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-18014102

9 May 2012 Last updated at 15:10 ET

Obama says same-sex couples should be able to marry

US President Barack Obama has said he is in favour of gay marriage, in an interview with ABC News.

He said: "It is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same sex couples should be able to get married."

In recent days, Vice-President Joe Biden and cabinet member Arne Duncan expressed their support of gay unions.

The interview with ABC News' Robin Roberts was apparently hastily arranged as Mr Obama came under pressure to clarify his position on the issue.

Mr Obama said his views on gay marriage had changed after observing members of his staff in strong, committed relationships.

In 2010, Mr Obama said his views on the issue were "evolving" but had stopped short of expressing support for the issue.

His comments came a day after North Carolina approved a constitutional amendment effectively banning same-sex marriage or civil unions.

 

[texaskj]

I support gay marriage. I believe they have a right to be as miserable as the rest of us.
-Kinky Friedman

Amen

 

[vc10um]

...the laws about marriage and the qualifications needed to obtain a marriage license is one of those things that's left up to the states.

I'm sorry but this is incorrect. It is not "left up to the states" to ban interracial marriage, for example. There are already same sex marriage cases in the federal court system, although none has reached the Supreme Court yet.

I guess I should have said that it's "currently" up to the states, kenny and Danny. That can obviously change at any time, and I'm sorry I wasn't clear on that.

 

[partgypsy]

i'm not as optimistic as some. I'm from NC and despite a large amount of get out the vote to vote against the amendment (anti gay marriage), it passed with a big margin. So I think there is a ways to go, maybe even a generation?

 

[kenny]

I support gay marriage. I believe they have a right to be as miserable as the rest of us.

 

[slg47]

I think it will be a while. People who do not know gay couples personally may not realize that they can be in love and in committed relationships just like straight couples.

Someone posted this graph on FB

I think it may take another generation.

It is interesting to note that until 1973, homosexuality was classified as a mental disorder. (I do not believe that it is but I can certainly understand how someone growing up believing this may have an issue with gay marriage).

Another thing to note is that 'marriage' has two definitions. There is the 'government recognized marriage' and also the 'church recognized marriage (for some this is a sacrament). The two are very different but the same word, 'marriage', is used. I believe this may contribute to some people's objections to gay marriage.

I am not happy about the ban in NC but even less happy about all of the hatred I am seeing towards the NC voters.

 

[Maisie]

My crystal ball is broken so I can't answer you

I think it goes without saying this is all just our opinions and guesses.

I was just kidding

Would you like to get married Kenny?

 

[ericad]

http://www.gaypolitics.com/2012/05/09/breaking-obama-backs-marriage-equality/

Our president is the first president to officially support same-sex unions.



Big mark in gay history.

You go, Barry!!!!!

 

[kenny]

My crystal ball is broken so I can't answer you

I think it goes without saying this is all just our opinions and guesses.

I was just kidding

Would you like to get married Kenny?

Frankly, no.

I'm an old fart and it just seems so foreign, and "for those other people" to me.
Makes no sense, but there it is.

 

[Rhea]

I think that both herto and homosexual people should have a right to formalize their union in the eyes of the state. I don't mind if it's marriage or a civil partnership, but it should be the same for both herto and homosexuals.

I agree with a poster above that lots of people see marriage as a religious sacrament. And that's okay, to me, to call "marriage" the church thing and up to the churches to decide, and "civil union" as a legal, state sanctioned union. I don't mind what it's called as long as it's same for both. I think the UK took a big step in 2005 by legalizing civil partnerships, but it's not good enough until it's called the same thing even though in law it's already the same thing.

In the US I think it won't be until after 2020.

 

[E B]

I want to be optimistic and vote some time before 2020, but I have seen some stunning displays of ignorance and hate all over the 'net today regarding Amendment One.

This shouldn't even be an issue today.

 

[kefira]

I, too, have very little faith we will see significant federal progress on this front any time soon.

 

[zoebartlett]

I'm happy that Obama finally stands behind gay marriage. What took him so long?

I'd like to say that it becoming legal by 2015 but I'm not sure it will happen that "soon." I'm crossing my fingers though...

 

[innerkitten]

Should be 2012... but I doubt it will be.

Mind you, we need to move to marriage here rather than just civil partnerships. I'm hopeful that it will happen in the next 18 months or so.

I honestly don't get why people get their knickers in a twist over it - it doesn't affect their lives in anyway, it doesn't have a negative impact on anyone else, so what exactly is the problem? They need to grow up and find some real problems to think about!

I don't feel that my marriage is any different that that of the guy who runs reception - who sent round an email to let everyone know that he was taking his husband's surname. He had the best wedding-band in the building - 5 rows of micropave diamonds in 18kt wg - we used to plot to install decent lighting to show it off properly!

I agree that it SHOULD be 2012. We have something similar to civil partnerships here too, but obviously it's not really the same. Two of the households on my block are same sex couples. One couple was married in New York when it was legalized there. The other couple have kids, own a home together. They are like any other couple except they can't be married legally. It's crazy.

 

[madelise]

I'm happy that Obama finally stands behind gay marriage. What took him so long?.

Election comin up? If he loses, and the next president is against, it might be another 4 or 8 years minimum until a president out and supports same sex marriage. That's scary.