This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-29508566
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| US rebuff to gay marriage opponents | US rebuff to gay marriage opponents |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The US Supreme Court has rejected appeals against gay marriage in five states - Indiana, Utah, Oklahoma, Virginia and Wisconsin. | The US Supreme Court has rejected appeals against gay marriage in five states - Indiana, Utah, Oklahoma, Virginia and Wisconsin. |
| The move increases the number of states where same-sex marriage is legal to 30, plus the District of Columbia. | The move increases the number of states where same-sex marriage is legal to 30, plus the District of Columbia. |
| By rejecting the appeals, the court left intact lower-court rulings that had struck down bans in those states. | By rejecting the appeals, the court left intact lower-court rulings that had struck down bans in those states. |
| Support for gay marriage in the US has gained momentum since the Supreme Court delivered two landmark rulings in 2013. | Support for gay marriage in the US has gained momentum since the Supreme Court delivered two landmark rulings in 2013. |
| Monday's ruling means that the nine justices of the court have stopped short from resolving the question of same-sex marriage nationwide. | Monday's ruling means that the nine justices of the court have stopped short from resolving the question of same-sex marriage nationwide. |
| But it was received rapturously by gay marriage campaigners. | |
| "Today is a joyous day for thousands of couples across America who will immediately feel the impact of today's Supreme Court action," said Chad Griffin, president of Human Rights Campaign. | |
| But he urged the court to tackle "a complex and discriminatory patchwork of marriage laws" that remain in place. | |
| "The only acceptable solution is nationwide marriage equality and we recommit to ourselves to securing that ultimate victory as soon as possible," he said. | |
| Same-sex couples in the five states named in the ruling can get married now, because marriages there had been on hold. | |
| Couples in six other states - Colorado, Kansas, North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia and Wyoming - will be able to get married soon. | Couples in six other states - Colorado, Kansas, North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia and Wyoming - will be able to get married soon. |
| Last year, the Supreme Court struck down a federal law that denied benefits to legally married same-sex partners. | Last year, the Supreme Court struck down a federal law that denied benefits to legally married same-sex partners. |
| That led to several victories across the US as gay-marriage bans were struck down in lower courts. | That led to several victories across the US as gay-marriage bans were struck down in lower courts. |
| Many expected the Supreme Court to use this session to, at some point, tackle the issue nationwide, rather than address it state-by-state. | Many expected the Supreme Court to use this session to, at some point, tackle the issue nationwide, rather than address it state-by-state. |