Same-Sex Marriage and Religious Freedom

By Shannonrb12

  • President Clinton Signs DOMA

    President Bill Clinton signed a federal law allowing states to refuse to recognize same-sex marriages performed under laws of other states.

  • Hawaii Passes Amendments

    In Alaska, voters approved a constitutional amendment prohibiting gay marriage. In Hawaii, voters passed an amendment to the state constitution that would allow the Legislature to ban gay marriages.

  • Proposition 22

    Proposition 22 was approved by California voters, which was an initiative that stated marriage should remain reserved for couples of the opposite sex.

  • Vermont Creates Civil Unions

    Vermont was the first state that performed civil unions for gay couples, which is a legally recognized union of a same-sex couple, with rights similar to those of marriage.

  • Bush Supports Ban On Gay Marriage

    President George W. Bush announced his support for a constitutional amendment that banned gay marriage, stating that the measure was the only way to protect the status of mariage between a man and woman.

  • Massachusetts First State to Legalize Gay Marriage

    Massachusetts was the first state to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples as a result of the Supreme Judicial Court ruling in Goodridge v. Department of Public Health that it was unconstitutional to allow only straight couples to marry.

  • Obama Signs 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'

    President Barack Obama signed legislation that allowed gays to openly serve in the United States military. Obama encouraged those who were kicked out due to the previous law to re-enlist.

  • Civil Unions in Illinois

    Governor Pat Quinn signs an Illinois law that went into affect, that allowed civil unions.

  • Arizona Vetoes Bill On Refusal To Serve Gays

    Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer vetoed a bill that gives business owners the right to refuse service to gays, with an allowance of religious freedom for a reason.