Travel News

Travel to Support Marriage Equality: A Guide to the 50 States

Locations in this article:  Los Angeles, CA San Francisco, CA

equalityToday the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to invalidate the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which had blocked legally-married same-sex couples from receiving the full range of benefits that are generally available to married people.

According to Marriage Equality USA, 48 percent of Americans live in 21 states (or counties or cities) that recognize various forms of legal relationships for same-sex couples. However, 30 states ban all forms of marriage except one-man/one-woman couples.

Today is not just about showing your support for the Supreme Court decision via social media. You can vote with your travel dollars to support states that share your beliefs. And that’s not all, you can also volunteer to promote change in the areas of the country that still need your support.

The 11 States That Legally Recognize Same-Sex Marriage:

Connecticut, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota (as of August 2013) New Hampshire, New York, Vermont,  Washington and Washington, D.C.

These states represent 15.7 percent of the U.S.

10 States That Offer Civil Unions or Domestic Partnerships:

California, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island and Wisconsin.

29 States That Banned Marriage Equality by Law, Constitution or Both

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming.

Looking to make a change in these states? You can volunteer with Marriage Equality to organize and/or participate in rallies, petition drives, phone banking, and canvassing.

If you’re not able to travel, but want to give back, make a contribution to support the Human Rights Campaign, a 1.5 million member grassroots campaign.

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