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Which States Ban Gay Marriage?

By Kathy Belge, About.com

Question: Which States Ban Gay Marriage?

Only Massachusetts allows gay marriage, but which states have bans against gay marriage? Many states have constitutional bans on gay marriage, others have passed laws through their legislatures. Here is a listing of each state's ruling on gay marriage.

Answer: Twenty-six states have a constitutional ban restricting marriage to one man and one woman. Those states are:

  • Alabama
  • Alaska
  • Arkansas
  • Colorado
  • Georgia
  • Kansas
  • Kentucky
  • Idaho
  • Louisiana
  • Michigan
  • Mississippi
  • Missouri
  • Montana
  • Nebraska
  • Nevada
  • North Dakota
  • Ohio
  • Oklahoma
  • Oregon
  • South Carolina
  • South Dakota
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
  • Utah
  • Virginia
  • Wisconsin

The following states have laws that ban gay marriage and limit marriage to one man and one woman (but it is not in their constitutions):

  • Arizona
  • California
  • Connecticut
  • Delaware
  • Florida
  • Hawaii
  • Illinois
  • Indiana
  • Iowa
  • Maine
  • Maryland
  • Minnesota
  • New Hampshire
  • North Carolina
  • Pennsylvania
  • Vermont
  • Washington
  • West Virginia
  • Wyoming

Information provided by Human Rights Campaign

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