Today (Tuesday, May 20, 2014), a federal judge struck down Pennsylvania’s ban on same-sex marriage. Pennsylvania was the last remaining state in the Northeast to outlaw gay marriage.
“We are a better people than what these laws represent, and it is time to discard them into the ash heap of history,” wrote Judge John E. Jones III of Federal District Court in a decision posted today.
In all, 18 states give legal status to gay marriage. If Jones’ decision stands, Pennsylvania would become the 19th and legalize gay marriage throughout the Northeast.
According to FreedomToMarry.org,
– over 38% of the U.S. population lives in a state that either has the freedom to marry or honors out-of-state marriages of same-sex couples.
– Over 41% of the U.S. population lives in a state with either marriage or a broad legal status such as civil union or domestic partnership.
– Over 43% of the U.S. population lives in a state that provides some form of protections for gay couples.

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