Thursday, August 02, 2007

Where Does America Stand on GLBT Equality?



Marriage Legalized: Massachusetts
Civil unions permitted: Connecticut - New Hampshire (as of 1/1/08) - New Jersey - Vermont

Domestic partnerships permitted:
California - District of Columbia - Hawaii (reciprocal beneficiaries) - Maine - Oregon (as of 1/1/08) - Washington
Prohibited by statute: Arizona - Connecticut - Delaware - Florida - Illinois - Indiana - Iowa - Maryland - Minnesota - New Hampshire - New York - North Carolina - Pennsylvania - Puerto Rico - Washington - West Virginia - Wyoming
Prohibited by constitutional amendment: Alabama - Alaska - Arkansas - Colorado - Georgia - Hawaii - Idaho - Kansas - Kentucky - Louisiana - Michigan - Mississippi - Missouri - Montana - Nebraska - Nevada - North Dakota - Ohio - Oklahoma - Oregon - South Carolina - South Dakota - Tennessee - Texas - Utah - Virginia - Wisconsin
Marriage or Civil Union
Law proposed: California - Connecticut - Illinois - Maine - New Jersey - New York - Rhode Island - Vermont - Washington
Marriage undefined: New Mexico - Rhode Island

It may not surprise anyone to find that the top five most educated states are all pro-gay equality, while the opposite is true of most of the anti-gay equality states. If this information is cross-referenced with divorce rates, we again see a similar pattern, where those who are pro-equality at the top of the list for lowest divorce rates, while places like Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Tennessee have the highest rates of divorce.

Here is an unbiased study from Rutgers University that was done about marriage, and you'll note the utter lack of hysteria pertaining to gay marriage in it.

2 comments:

Mark D. Snyder said...

I'd like to see a similar report/map that includes things other than marriage/partner benefits like hate crimes laws, bullying laws, non-discrimination laws, etc...

John Hosty said...

Thanks for the input Mark, I will see what I can put together after I get back from my wedding.