Image: via Shutterstock
October has perhaps seen more progress in the ongoing fight for marriage equality than in recent months, as more states strive forward with pro-equality court rulings. On Monday, October 6, the United States Supreme Court declined to hear every single one of the same-sex marriage cases awaiting review, reports Autostraddle, a decision that brought marriage equality to five more states. The gay and lesbian community and its straight allies cheered as Indiana, Oklahoma, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Utah all became the newest states to embrace marriage equality. Just days later, Alaska followed suit.
With all of these changes happening, it’s important to pause for a moment to take stock of where marriage equality stands across the United States. Here is a breakdown of which states have legalized same-sex marriage, and which states are still holding strong against it:
Alabama – Marriage ban.
Alaska – Same-sex marriage legalized.
Arizona – Pro-marriage ruling at the appellate level.
Arkansas – Stayed ruling on same-sex marriage.
California – Same-sex marriage legalized.
Colorado – Same-sex marriage legalized.
Connecticut – Same-sex marriage legalized.
Delaware – Same-sex marriage legalized.
Image: via Think Progress
Florida – Stayed ruling on same-sex marriage.
Georgia – Marriage ban.
Hawaii – Same-sex marriage legalized.
Idaho – Same-sex marriage legalized.
Illinois – Same-sex marriage legalized.
Indiana – Same-sex marriage legalized.
Iowa – Same-sex marriage legalized.
Kansas – Pro-marriage ruling at the appellate level.
Kentucky – Stayed ruling on same-sex marriage.
Louisiana – Stayed ruling on same-sex marriage.
Maine – Same-sex marriage legalized.
Maryland – Same-sex marriage legalized
Massachusetts - Same-sex marriage legalized.
Michigan – Stayed ruling on same-sex marriage.
Minnesota – Same-sex marriage legalized.
Mississippi – Marriage ban.
Missouri – Marriage ban; respects marriages legally performed in other states.
Montana – Pro-marriage ruling at the appellate level.
Nebraska – Marriage ban.
Nevada – Same-sex marriage legalized.
New Hampshire – Same-sex marriage legalized.
New Jersey – Same-sex marriage legalized.
New Mexico – Same-sex marriage legalized.
New York – Same-sex marriage legalized.
North Carolina – Same-sex marriage legalized.
North Dakota – Marriage ban.
Ohio – Stayed ruling on same-sex marriage.
Oklahoma – Same-sex marriage legalized.
Image: via Freedom to Marry
Oregon – Same-sex marriage legalized.
Pennsylvania – Same-sex marriage legalized.
Rhode Island – Same-sex marriage legalized.
South Carolina – Pro-marriage ruling at the appellate level.
South Dakota – Marriage ban.
Tennessee – Stayed ruling on same-sex marriage.
Texas – Stayed ruling on same-sex marriage.
Utah – Same-sex marriage legalized.
Vermont – Same-sex marriage legalized.
Virginia – Same-sex marriage legalized.
Washington – Same-sex marriage legalized.
West Virginia – Same-sex marriage legalized.
Wisconsin – Same-sex marriage legalized.
Wyoming – Pro-marriage ruling at the appellate level.
It’s worth noting that the states in which same-sex marriage is legal (the bolded states) account for 59.1% of the American population. This means that the majority of Americans can now wed, regardless of their sexual orientation. It won’t be long before those other states will realize that their discriminatory stances surrounding marriage equality are outdated, unpopular, and soon to be overturned.