New York gives green light to gay marriages bill

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Sam

25 June, 2011

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo yesterday signed into law a bill proposing gay marriages should be made legal.

GAY MARRIAGES became legal in New York on Friday after the law supporting the same was signed by Governor Andrew Cuomo. New York is the sixth US state to have approved same-sex marriages after Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and the District of Columbia.

But gay marriages are not allowed in 39 states, while Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois and New Jersey allow civil unions. The gay marriage bill, proposed by Cuomo, was endorsed by the Senate yesterday with a 33-29 support. Welcoming the Senate’s decision, the mayor, a Democrat, said that with this law the state has reached a “new level of social justice”. He later signed the bill into law.

Pursuant to the law, gay marriages can start taking place in the country after 30 days. However, the law does not compel religious institutions or non-profit groups with religious affiliations to conduct such ceremonies. Also, under the new law, gay couples can file for divorce.

The decision was met with cheers of joy by the people waiting in the Senate gallery in Albany, and also those gathered outside Stonewall Inn, the site of birth of the modern gay rights movement after the 1969 police raid.

Although the move was welcomed by homosexual people and their supporters, there were also some who criticised it. Expressing disappointment over the bill, New York's Catholic Conference said that they have always treated their “homosexual brothers and sisters” with love and respect, but allowing them to get into the holy bond of marriage is not right.

In California last year, a judge annulled a ban on gay marriages, but the judgement was appealed and awaits decision. A nation policy could be formed on the issue if the case reaches the US Supreme Court.