The topic of same sex marriage has never been more hotly contested across all states, or so pivotal in U.S. history, than it is today. Activists and couples seeking Wisconsin gay marriage rights are likely to be frustrated from many setbacks over the years, which have prevented them from enjoying the same marital rights and privileges that heterosexual couples have. These include Social Security benefits, tax breaks, child custody rights, and more.
However, in the state of Wisconsin, and as of October 2014, the ban on gay marriage has been lifted. This took place after a federal appeals court in Chicago declared the bans on same sex marriage in the state of Wisconsin to be unconstitutional. The same situation happened for Alaska, Indiana, Oklahoma, Utah, and Virginia.
The gay marriage debate has gone back for decades in Wisconsin, with a ban on same sex marriage dating all the way back to 1979, when such topics were generally considered taboo even to think about voting on. A marriage evasion law was even enacted, criminalizing same sex couples who traveled to other states to marry while their unions would not be recognized in Wisconsin. Throughout the years, numerous amendments and proposals were brought forth in attempts to change the law for either side.
