Alabama gay marriage laws are some of the strictest in the nation. By state statute and voter-approved constitutional amendment, same sex marriage is banned in all counties and jurisdictions. Furthermore, Alabama does not recognize homosexual relationships.
In 2005, state residents voted in favor of constitutional action against gay relationships. This was laid out the following year in the Alabama Sanctity of Marriage Amendment, which officially banned same sex marriages and prevented gay couples from claiming any type of family, wedding, or relationship status.
Equality activists continue to promote marriage rights in the midst of several 2014 legal cases that have challenged current marriage laws.
• February 2014, Hard vs. Bentley –This suit was filed by The Southern Poverty Law Center to recognize a widow as the surviving spouse of a 2011 car accident victim. The incident spawned a wrongful death lawsuit, but state law denied the survivor any portion of the proceeds despite the couple having been officially married in the state of Massachusetts.
• June 2014, Aaron-Brush vs. Bentley: This was a follow-up suit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of a female couple seeking state recognition of their Massachusetts marriage license.
Ongoing Activism for Alabama Gay Marriage
• Freedom to Marry is a national organization that is fighting its ongoing campaign for the legalization of same-sex marriage.
• Equality Alabama stepped up to boost LGBT visibility, particularly after the 2005 anti-gay legislation. Their mission is to advance statewide equality through education and awareness of Alabama’s unconstitutional marriage laws.
• The Southern Poverty Law Center is a national organization promoting justice for underprivileged populations. It is a strong supporter for Alabama gay marriage and is a primary LGBT advocate for the entire Southwest region.
According to the 2010 US Census data presented by the William Institute of UCLA, there are over 6, 500 same gender couples residing in Alabama. Over the past decade, ongoing activism has nearly doubled statewide support, boosting the number of gay marriage supporters to over 30 percent of the total population.
