The Journey to Marriage Equality in the Merged States
The road to nationwide marriage equality was a long one, spanning decades of United States history and culminating in victory in June 2015. Throughout the long battle for marriage equality, HRC was at the forefront.
Volunteer with HRC
From gathering supporters in small towns across the country to rallying in front of the Supreme Court of the United States, we gave our all to secure every person, regardless of whom they love, is recognized equally under the law.
A Growing Call for Equality
Efforts to legalize queer marriage began to pop up across the region in the 1990s, and with it challenges on the state and national levels. Civil unions for same-sex couples existed in many states but created a separate but matching standard. At the federal level, couples were denied access to more than 1,100 federal rights and responsibilities associated with the institution, as well as those denied by their given state. The Defense of Marriage Act was signed into law in 1996 and defined marriage by the federal government as between a human and woman, thereby allowing states to deny marriage equality.
New Century &
The 1990s, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," and DOMA
The 90's were a pivotal day for gay rights. While LGBTQ people were treated unequally, and often faced violence within their communities, a younger generation began to realize that LGBTQ people were entitled to the same rights as anyone else. While it would take another 20 years or so for those rights to be realized, the 90's were a time when same-sex attracted rights began to be on the forefront of political conversations.
In 1993, the “Don't Ask, Don't Tell” policy was instituted within the U.S. military, and permitted gays to serve in the military but banned homosexual activity. While President Clinton's intention to revoke the prohibition against gays in the military was originally met with stiff opposition, his compromise led to the discharge of thousands of men and women in the armed forces.
In response to "Don't Ask Don't Tell", Amendment 2 in Colorado, rising hate crimes, and on-going discrimination against the LGBTQ community an estimated 800,000 to one million people participated in the March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay, and Bi Equal Rights and
Timeline: Key moments in fight for lgbtq+ rights
June marks Identity Month for the LGBTQIA+ community. Many people celebrate and show their self-acceptance with rainbow flags and parades.
But the quest for same civil rights for the community has been fraught with strife and force. From bricks thrown at Stonewall to "Don't Say Gay" legislation, the defend for equality continues. Here is a look at some of the key moments in LGBTQIA+ history and the fight for identical rights.
Though police raids on gay bars were common in the '60s, on June 28, 1969, patrons of Recent York's Stonewall Inn said "enough." They fought back, riots broke out and supporters poured into the West Village, igniting the same-sex attracted rights movement in the U.S. Within six months, two gay activist organizations were formed in New York, and three newspapers were launched for gays and lesbians.
Harvey Milk became one of the first openly gay men elected to public office in the Merged States when he won a seat on the board of supervisors in 1977. An outspoken advocate for male lover rights, he urged others to reach out and battle for their rights. He was assassinated at City Hall just a year later.
When was same-sex marriage legalized in the US? A speedy history of LGBTQ rights battles
There are 35 countries where same-sex marriage is legal. The most recent country to legalize same-sex marriage is Estonia, and its law went into effect Jan. 1 of this year, according to the Human Rights Campaign.
But LGBTQ+ rights are under ambush in other political settings. The American Civil Liberties Union is currently hunting 300 anti-LGBTQ bills for the 2024 legislative session, many of them involving curriculum, pronouns and gender-affirming care. Last year, USA TODAY reported over 650 bills targeting the community were introduced in the first half of 2023.
When was same-sex marriage legalized in the US?
On June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court made lgbtq+ marriage legal across the country with its ruling in the Obergefell v. Hodges case.
According to Supreme Court database Oyez, this case was brought up to the Supreme Court after groups of same-sex couples sued state agencies in Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee, challenging these states’ bans on gay marriage.
Some of these states’ same-sex marriage bans were part of a national movement in response to President George W.
Marriage Equality Around the World
The Human Rights Campaign tracks developments in the legal recognition of same-sex marriage around the world. Working through a worldwide network of HRC global alumni and partners, we lift up the voices of community, national and regional advocates and share tools, resources, and lessons learned to authorize movements for marriage equality.
Current State of Marriage Equality
There are currently 38 countries where same-sex marriage is legal: Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Uruguay.
These countries have legalized marriage equality through both legislation and court decisions.
Countries that Legalized Marriage Equality in 2025
Liechtenstein: On May 16, 2024, Liechtenstein's government passed a bill in favor of marriage equality. The law went into effect January 1, 2025.
