Massachusetts gay marriage laws have upheld marriage equality for many years. In November 1, 2003, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled that there was no constitutional reason to outlaw the wedding of homosexual couples. By May 2004, same-sex couples were able to receive marriage licenses.
Opposition for same-sex marriage surfaced in June 2007, when an anti-gay amendment to the constitution was proposed. Legislators struck down the bill with a striking majority. The final vote to overturn the amendment was 151 to 45.
Massachusetts legislators continued to show their support for marital equality by extending the freedom that homosexual couples in Massachusetts enjoyed. A law was passed to allow couples from outside state lines to be married in the state. The passing of the bill revoked a previous law that was put forward in 1913. The governor released a statement saying it was outdated and that repealing it was just.
There were a number of organizations that helped to garner the support that made the legalization of Massachusetts gay marriage possible. Here are some of the most notable:
• MassEquality, a local and national group of organizations that defend the right for homosexual couples to marry
• Freedom to Marry, which is a national organization that protects and advocates for marriage equality
• Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, a New England-based group that focuses on ending discrimination against gay people, sufferers of the HIV virus, and people who have differing gender identity statuses
The majority of residents showed support for Massachusetts gay marriage in the polls and were happy with the existing laws. 58% of poll participants agree that homosexual couples should be allowed to marry. 31% revealed that they still thought gay marriage should not be legal, and only 12% of residents reported that they did not think that same-sex couples should be legally recognized in any way.
The Williams Institute studied the 2010 census and found that there were 20,256 residing in the state at the time. Homosexual couples represent .8% of the Massachusetts population.
