US Supreme Court hears arguments on California's Proposition 8
WILTON MANORS, Fla. – Gays and lesbians throughout South Florida await the U.S. Supreme Court's decision on California's Proposition 8, which bans same-sex marriage.
At the Pride Center at Equality Park in Wilton Manors, a group of seniors meet each Tuesday for coffee. This week, they discussed the hearing happening in Washington, D.C.
"You know somebody that had Alzheimer's and died, and literally she died alone because her partner wasn't allowed to be in the room with her," said Susan Mack.
"I'm delighted. I am absolutely delighted," said John Patrick Connolly. "A huge change over the last 15 years since I was a youngster."
Gary Payne, who met his partner in 1957, talked about living as a gay man during the 1950s.
"In many ways, it was a lot of fun and, in many ways, it was very scary. I had a job with a company that did government work. Had they found I was gay, I would've been fired," he said. "It's just wonderful that I can even say the word 'gay' on television.
They said having their desire for equality argued before the highest court was both exhilarating and nerve racking.
"We've come a long ways. We've still got a long ways to go," said Nancy Drennen.
1 / 23
The Supreme Court ruled Friday that states cannot ban same-sex marriage. Take a look at the numbers behind same-sex marriage. Take a look at the numbers behind gay marriage, according to CNN and other sources.19, plus 1: The number of U.S. states that allow same-sex marriage, along with the District of Columbia. They are: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and the District of Columbia.8: Number of states where a court has overturned a ban on same-sex marriage, but marriages still aren't allowed because appeals are pending. Those states are Arkansas, Idaho, Michigan, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin.1: The number of U.S. states that allow civil unions between same-sex couples, but not marriage. That state is Colorado, which has a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. (Civil unions are also still available in Hawaii, Illinois and New Jersey even though same-sex marriage is now legal in all three states.)2: The number of U.S. states that don't allow gay marriage but do allow same-sex domestic partnerships that grant some or nearly all state-level spousal rights to same-sex couples. Those states are Nevada and Wisconsin. (Domestic partnerships are also available in Hawaii, Maine, Washington and the District of Columbia.)1,100: The number of federal benefits to marriage.2001: The year the Netherlands made same-sex marriage legal. It was the first country in the world to so.2003: The year that the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that it is unconstitutional to criminalize sodomy.2004: The year that same-sex marriage became legal in Massachusetts, the first state in the United States to allow gay marriage.2013: The year the U.S. Supreme Court overturned provisions in the Defense of Marriage Act that prevented the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages.3: The number of countries where same-sex marriage is legal in some areas. They are: Brazil, Mexico and the United States.68 percent: The percentage of Americans opposed to same-sex marriage in 1996, according to a Gallup Poll.48 percent: The percentage of Americans opposed to same-sex marriage in 2012, according to a Gallup Poll.3.5 percent: The approximate percentage of Americans identifying as lesbian, gay or bisexual, according to the Williams Institute at UCLA. Thats about 9 million people.646,000: The number of same-sex-couple households in the United States in 2010, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.80.4 percent: The percentage growth of same-sex couple households in the U.S. between 2000 and 2010, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.18,000: The number of same-sex marriages that took place in California during the 142 days it was legal in 2008, according to the AP.39 percent: The approximate percentage of Americans who live in states where same-sex marriage is currently legal, according to 2012 population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau.10 percent: The percentage of people identifying as LGBT living in the District of Columbia, according to a 2012 Gallup Poll. This is the highest percentage in the country.1.7 percent: The percentage of people identifying as LGBT living in North Dakota, according to a 2012 Gallup Poll. This is the lowest percentage in the country.7 percent: Approximate percentage of same-sex couple households who live in states that recognize same-sex marriage, as of 2010.115,064: Number of same-sex couple households in the United States with children, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.Visit this page by the National Conference of State Legislatures for more information on gay marriage laws by state.
The Supreme Court ruled Friday that states cannot ban same-sex marriage. Take a look at the numbers behind same-sex marriage. Take a look at the numbers behind gay marriage, according to CNN and other sources.
A decision on the case is expected in June.
Copyright 2013 by Local10.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
