Last week, the American federal government recognized six new states that would be receiving federally-recognized same-sex marriage benefits. Now, I know what you’re thinking – gay marriage, right? That is so 2005. But let’s not get jaded about our southern neighbours and their baby steps towards marriage equality. Here’s six reasons to be excited about this latest decision, one for every new rainbow state of the union.
1. Because these last six – Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, North Carolina, West Virginia, and Wyoming – didn’t need a Supreme Court case to force them to drop their gay marriage bans; the Supreme Court straight-up refused to hear their appeals.
2. Because the percentage of Americans who oppose same-sex marriage is now about equal to the percentage of Americans who live in states without it.
3. Because if 32 states with marriage equality isn’t enough, Montana, South Carolina, and Kansas are all about to get dragged onto the bandwagon – they’ve all received a court ruling that their marriage bans aren’t going to fly anymore, it just hasn’t quite sunk in yet.
4. Because if even that isn’t enough, there’s four more states waiting on a Sixth Circuit Court decision on whether they’re allowed to keep their bans in place. And if they’re not (which, come on, they won’t be), that means three quarters of the US population will live in states with same-sex marriage.
5. Because no one gets tired of stories like those ninety-year-old lesbians who finally got hitched after seventy-two years.
6. Because gay marriage, you guys! However late they are, every state that jumps on board is a reason to cheer.
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