Marriages of gay couples began in the state of Florida yesterday, leaving only 14 American states that do not permit gays to marry.
70% of Americans now live in states in which “gay marriage” is legal.
A judge in Florida recently struck down the state’s gay marriage ban. And in spite of the best efforts of Republican politicians, the civil rights victory refused to be overturned.
It’s been an amazing 18 months since the Supreme Court issued its momentous decision in US v. Windsor, which opened the door for gay marriage victories nationwide.
As the Washington Post notes, “when the court heard oral arguments about California’s Proposition 8 and the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in 2013, only nine states and the District allowed such unions.”
Nine states. Now we have 36 states (and DC). That’s a landslide.
The victory in Florida is an especially exciting win for gay rights advocates as Florida was the scene of one of the most bitter battles in American gay rights history, when singer and former Florida orange juice spokeswoman Anita Bryant organized the successful repeal of Dade County, Florida’s new ordinance prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation. After winning in Florida, Bryant then went national, and led several battles across the country against gay rights.
I’ll let Ms. Bryant speak for herself:
“As a mother, I know that homosexuals cannot biologically reproduce children; therefore, they must recruit our children” and “If gays are granted rights, next we’ll have to give rights to prostitutes and to people who sleep with St. Bernards and to nail biters.”
In response, gay rights advocates launched a nationwide boycott of Florida orange juice. Bryant was also famously hit by a pie in the face during an anti-gay press conference in Iowa in 1977:
So Anita, this month is for you.
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