Massachusetts may allow same-sex marriages, but most states will not recognize them.FOLLOWING A GROUNDBREAKING decision by the state's supreme judicial court in November, Massachusetts Massachusetts (măsəch  `sĭts), most populous of the New England states of the NE United States. on May 17 will become the
first and only state to allow same-sex couples A same-sex couple is a pair of people of the same gender who pursue a romantic or sexual relationship together.The term "same-sex relationship" may be used when the sexual orientation of participants in a same-sex relationship is not known. equal access to marriage licenses. But those gay and lesbian marriages will not be valid in most other states, where so-called defense of marriage acts, or DOMAs, ban recognition of all same-sex marriages Noun 1. same-sex marriage - two people of the same sex who live together as a family; "the legal status of same-sex marriages has been hotly debated" couple, twosome, duet, duo - a pair who associate with one another; "the engaged couple"; "an inseparable . Thirty-nine states have such laws, and four of those--Alaska, Hawaii, Nebraska, and Nevada--have reinforced them with anti-gay constitutional amendments. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. the Human Rights Campaign, 18 additional states with DOMAs have introduced or are expected to introduce state constitutional amendments or other measures to strengthen those laws, and seven others without DOMAs also are considering statutory or constitutional bans on recognizing same-sex marriage. Gay marriage news breaks daily. For the latest headlines, go to www.advocate.com |
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