Most States Likely to Spurn Marriage Equality Bandwagon

by David Crary

Associated Press

Monday July 25, 2011

As hundreds of gay couples became newlyweds in New York over the weekend, their well-wishers included many far-flung gays aware that their own states may never willingly allow same-sex marriage.

In all, 30 states have adopted constitutional amendments aimed at limiting marriage to one-man, one-woman unions.

In a few of them - California and Oregon, for example - activists hold out hope of repealing the bans. That outcome seems improbable, though, in many heartland and Southern states, and gay-rights leaders there are eying more modest short-term goals.

They'll soon get a boost from a leading national gay-rights group, the Human Rights Campaign. It plans to launch a bus tour, starting Aug. 12 in Utah and ending Oct. 30 in Florida, which will travel through 11 states that ban gay marriage.

Copyright Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.