Delaware is one of a handful of states in the U.S. that permits full equality for same-sex marriages. In July of 2013, Governor Jack Markell signed House Bill 75 after it passed the House of Representatives and Senate in Delaware. This made Delaware the eleventh state to legalize gay marriage. Delaware also has the authority to grant divorces to couples who were married in Delaware but reside in states that do not recognize their marriage, and will not grant a divorce.
Before the 2013 bill, Delaware had offered civil unions to same sex couples, which guaranteed the “rights, benefits, protections, and responsibilities” of married couples. However, as in many other states, couples in Delaware felt that labeling their relationships as civil unions only promoted discrimination. However, over five hundred civil union licenses were issued in 2012, after the Delaware gay marriage law took effect.
In 2013, the bill to legalize homosexual marriage was introduced. The bill would not only legalize same-sex marriage, but also convert civil unions into marriages. The prime public opposition to the bill came from the Roman Catholic Bishop of Wilmington, Francis Malooly. Malooly was vocal about his opinion of gay marriage, stating that the bond of marriage was only possible between a man and a woman. However, despite Malooly’s public comments, both the Delaware House and the Senate passed the bill. Governor Markell immediately signed the bill into law following it’s passing.
During the May 7th debate on the marriage bill, State Senator Karen Peterson came out as a lesbian. She and her partner were the first couple to marry under the new Delaware gay marriage law on July 1st.
As of February 2013, 54% of Delaware voters supported Delaware gay marriage. Thirty-seven percent were opposed, and eight percent were not sure or did not answer. According to the 2010 census, 2,646 same-sex couples live in Delaware, representing 0.77% of households. The main advocacy groups in Delaware working for wedding equality are Equality Delaware, and the ACLU Delaware LGBT Rights Project.
