Hawaii has finally legalized gay marriage, and they have become the 16th state to do so. Each time a new state decides to legalize gay marriage, it becomes big news around the country.
This idea starts to beg the question, how long will it take for gay marriage to simply be legal in the United States?
On Tuesday, the Hawaii Senate passed a House-amended bill that legalizes gay marriage in the state of Hawaii.
The law will allow same-sex couple to marry one another beginning on December 2nd, which is right around the time when people like to flock to Hawaii in order to get hitched.
Despite the fact that the vote in the Senate was fairly uneventful, in a decision that was voted in favor 19-4, the Hawaii House only passed the law 30-19, after a wildly exciting five-day public hearing that featured testimonies of opposition,and protesters. A recent poll in Hawaii showed that voters were split on the issue, however support has been growing rapidly in the state, as well as the rest of the country.
Neil Abercrombie, the democratic governor of Hawaii, is expected to sign the bill into law as early as Wednesday, allowing them to follow Illinois as the next state to legalize gay marriage.
Cheers erupted in the gallery after the vote was taken, and those living in Hawaii, and who want to get married there are all likely to get excited over the big news. Any time gay marriage is legalized in a state, it also sets a precedent for the others, making us all wonder who will be next?
With Hawaii legalizing gay marriage, around 118 million Americans now live under marriage equality, or 37.5% of the population.
— Will McAvoy (@WillMcAvoyACN) November 12, 2013
Congrats Hawaii on passing gay marriage 19-4 and will be signed into law Wednesday. That is the 16th state to allow it. It's a start so far
— Randy Fahringer (@HandyRandy7475) November 13, 2013
This is a also a big win for Hawaii, where in 1990, a lesbian couple became famous for applying for a marriage license. This set off a court battle that led to a national discussion of gay marriage, and led Congress to pass the Defense of Marriage Act.
A strong statement also came from President Obama on the issue of Hawaii’s gay marriage vote, and he said “Whenever freedom and equality are affirmed, our country becomes stronger. By giving loving gay and lesbian couples the right to marry if they choose, Hawaii exemplifies the values we hold dear as a nation. I’ve always been proud to have been born in Hawaii, and today’s vote makes me even prouder.”
The vote on gay marriage in Hawaii is another historic one in the history of the United States, making the idea of gay marriage more mainstream all the time.
Image via Youtube