All 50 states must now grant and recognize same-sex marriages. This was the result of a historic U.S. Supreme Court ruling on June 26, 2015. After a long-standing legal battle, the gay rights movement was granted victory by the narrow 5-4 vote. Bans have been lifted in 14 states, and marriage licenses are being issued to same-sex couples across the nation.
Barack Obama has declared this ruling, "justice that arrives like a thunderbolt."
The court's decision is that marriage is a fundamental right, which same-sex couples may exercise. According to the Supreme Court, this is protected by the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses of the 14th Amendment.
The ruling directly affects the 14 states that previously banned same-sex marriages. These states include Alabama, Texas, Tennessee, North Dakota, South Dakota, Arkansas, Nebraska, Kentucky, Louisiana, Ohio, Mississippi, Michigan, Georgia, and most of Missouri.
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