Same-sex marriage has become one of the defining social issues in contemporary U.S. politics. State court decisions finding in favor of same-sex relationship equality claims have been central to the issue's ascent from nowhere to near the top of the national political agenda. Same Sex Marriage in the United States tells the story of the legal and cultural shift, its backlash, and how it has evolved over the past 15 years. There is a clear story of jurisprudential evolution with regards to same-sex marriage from Hawaii, through Vermont, Massachusetts, New Jersey, California, Connecticut, and, remarkably, Iowa in 2009. This book aids in a classroom examination of the legal, political, and social developments surrounding the issue of same-sex marriage in the United States. While books about same-sex marriage have proliferated in recent years, few, if any, have provided a clear and comprehensive account of the litigation for same-sex marriage, and its successes and failures, as this book does.

Title PageTable of ContentsPrefaceIntroductionGay Rights and Same-Sex Marriage: 1950-1990Same-Sex Marriage, Politics, and Law Around the WorldThe First Phase of Litigation, Backlash, and Litigation's Legacy: Hawaii, Washington, D.C., Alaska, Vermont, and MassachusettsSame-Sex Marriage in the MidwestContinued Progress and Backlash, 2004-2012: The East and SouthContinued Progress and Backlash, 2004-2012: The WestSame-Sex Marriage and the Supreme CourtConclusionIndex