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2400 BCE
Possible first recorded same sex kiss.
Same sex couple Khnumhotep and Niankhkhnum marriage was recognized by the Ancient Egyptian kingdom, and were buried together in the same tomb as was the custom for husband and wife. -
779 BCE
Ancient Rome 776-323 BCE
Even though the marriage between two Roman males had no legal standing, at least two Roman Emperors were in same-sex unions.
Thirteen of the first fourteen Roman Emperors had bisexual or exclusively homosexual relationships. -
770 BCE
Homosexulity in Imperial China was viewed different than in the West.
During the Spring-Autumn and Chin-Han Era (770 B.C. to A.D. 24) male same-sex behavior was not a crime or considered immoral.
Same sex unions were celebrated with much elaboration to celebrate the love of two human beings. -
342
Theodosian Code 342 AD
Constantine brought change to how homosexuality was viewed and his sons carried on that on in their leaderships. In 342 AD the Theodosian Code was issued as law prohibiting same-sex marriage in Rome. In 390, men acting in the part of a woman were condemned and publicly burned if found guilty of such acts. -
Feb 9, 1061
Possible first recorded same-sex marriage
Possibly first documented same-sex marriage of Pedro Diaz and Muño Vandilaz in Spain by a priest in a small chapel.
Documents were found in the Monastery of San Salvador de Celanova. -
Margaret Clap opens Molly House in London
Molly house becomes first gathering place for gays. -
France becomes first West European country to legalize homosexual acts
In 1791, Revolutionary France (and Andorra) adopted a new penal code which no longer criminalized sodomy. France thus became the first West European country to decriminalize homosexual acts between consenting adults -
Female Husbands
Women dressed an men in order to marry other women.
Lucy Ann Lobdell (Joseph Lobdell) born a woman but lived as a man for 60 years and married Marie Louise Penny in 1861. -
First Defense of Homosexuality written by Edward Stevenson
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First Supreme Court Ruling
Oct. 10, 1972: Supreme Court dismisses Baker v. Nelson, a Minnesota case filed by a gay couple seeking to marry, "for want of a substantial federal question." -
Maryland, First State to Ban Same-sex Marriage
Jan. 1, 1973: Maryland becomes the first state to pass a statute banning same-sex marriages. -
Hawaii and First Issue of Equal Protection
May 5, 1993: Hawaii Supreme Court rules that denying marriage to same-sex couples violates the Equal Protection Clause of the state Constitution. -
President Clinton signs DOMA Defense of Marriage Act
Sept. 21, 1996: President Clinton signs the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which would deny federal benefits to married same-sex couples. -
Judge in Hawaii upholds the right of Same-sex couples to marry
Dec. 3, 1996: A judge in Hawaii upholds the right of same-sex couples to marry. -
Hawaii voters Ban Same-sex Marriage
Nov. 3, 1998: Hawaii voters approve a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. -
California first state to pass Domestic Partner Statute
Sept. 22, 1999: California becomes the first state to pass a domestic partnership statute. -
Vermont legalizes Civil Unions
July 1, 2000: Civil unions for same-sex couples become legal in Vermont. -
Massachusetts Supreme Court legalizes Same-sex marriage
Nov. 18, 2003: Massachusetts Supreme Court legalizes same-sex marriage in Goodridge v. Department of Public Health. -
Eleven States deny Same-sex marriage in Constitutional amendments
Nov. 2, 2004: Constitutional amendments denying same-sex marriage are passed in 11 states. -
California Same-sex marriage is Vetoed By Governor
Sept. 6, 2005: California legislators pass a same-sex marriage bill but it is vetoed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. The same thing happens in 2007. -
Seven more states ban gay marriage by Constitutional Amendments
Nov. 7, 2006: Constitutional amendments banning gay marriage are passed in seven more states. -
California Supreme Court strikes down law banning, Gay Couple begin to marry
May 15, 2008: California Supreme Court strikes down a state law banning same-sex marriage, and gay couples begin marrying a month later. -
Connecticut Supreme Court legalizes Same-sex Marriage
Oct. 10, 2008: Connecticut Supreme Court legalizes same-sex marriage. -
California voters ban Same-sex marriage
Nov. 4, 2008: California voters approve Proposition 8, which bans gays and lesbians from marrying. -
Iowa Supreme Court legalizes Same-sex Marriage
April 3, 2009: Iowa Supreme Court legalizes same-sex marriage. -
Vermont Legislature overrides Governor Veto and approves Same-sex marriage
April 7, 2009: Vermont Legislature overrides Gov. Jim Douglas's veto and approves same-sex marriage. -
Maine Governor signs law legalizing Gay Marriage
May 6, 2009: Maine Gov. John Baldacci signs law legalizing gay marriage. -
New Hampshire Governor signs law legalizing Gay Marriage
June 3, 2009: New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch signs law legalizing gay marriage. -
Maine voters overturn the gay marriage law
Nov. 3, 2009: Maine voters overturn the state's gay marriage law at the ballot box. -
DC Mayor signs law legalizing Gay Marriage
Dec. 18, 2009: District of Columbia Mayor Adrian Fenty signs law legalizing gay marriage. -
US District Court rule DOMA unconstitutional
July 8, 2010: U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Tauro in Massachusetts becomes the first to rule that a key section of the Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional. -
CA Prop 8 declared unconstitutional Federal District Court
Aug. 4, 2010: California's Proposition 8 is declared unconstitutional in federal district court. -
US Attorney General says Obama Admin will no longer defend DOMA
Feb. 23, 2011: U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder says the Obama administration will no longer defend the Defense of Marriage Act. -
New York legalizes same-sex marriage, double the number of Americans living in gay marriage states
June 24, 2011: New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo signs law legalizing same-sex marriage, more than doubling the number of Americans living in gay marriage states. -
Federal Appeals Court uphold unconstitutional CA Prop 8
Feb. 7, 2012: A federal appeals court upholds the ruling that declared California's Proposition 8 unconstitutional. -
Washington State legalizes same-sex marriage. Implementation delayed until November referendum
Feb. 13, 2012: Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire signs law legalizing same-sex marriage. Opponents delay its implementation until a November referendum. -
New Jersey legislators approve same-sex marriage. Governor Christie vetoes.
Feb. 16, 2012: New Jersey legislators approve same-sex marriage bill, later vetoed by Gov. Chris Christie -
Maryland Governor signs law legalizing gay marriage - if voters approve
March 1, 2012: Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley signs law legalizing gay marriage, if voters go along in November. -
Obama first sitting president to announce support for same-sex marriage
May 9, 2012: President Obama becomes the first sitting president to announce his support for same-sex marriage. -
Fed appeals court New England upholds ruling against DOMA
May 31, 2012: A federal appeals court in New England upholds lower court rulings against the Defense of Marriage Act. -
Fed District Judge in New York become fifth to rule against DOMA
June 6, 2012: A federal district judge in New York becomes the fifth to rule against the Defense of Marriage Act. The case, Windsor v. United States, eventually will reach the Supreme Court. -
Federal Appeals Court upholds New York's ruling against DOMA
Oct. 18, 2012: A federal appeals court upholds the New York judge's ruling against the Defense of Marriage Act. -
Maine, Maryland, Washington State voters approve amending constitution permitting Gay Marriage
Nov. 6, 2012: Voters approve constitutional amendments permitting gay marriage in Maine, Maryland and Washington State. -
Nevada federal district judge upholds the state's ban on gay marriage
Nov. 29. 2012: A federal district judge in Nevada upholds the state's ban on gay marriage. -
SCOTUS agrees to hear challenges to DOMA and CA Prop 8
Dec. 7, 2012: Supreme Court agrees to hear challenges to the Defense of Marriage Act and the ruling against California's Proposition 8. -
SCOTUS hears oral arguments challenging DOMA and Prop 8
March 26-27, 2013: Supreme Court hears oral arguments in Hollingsworth v. Perry, the challenge to the Proposition 8 ruling, andUnited States v. Windsor, the challenge to DOMA. -
Rhode Island Governor signs same-sex marriage law
May 2, 2013: Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee signs same-sex marriage law. -
Delaware Governor signs same-sex marriage law
May 7, 2013: Delaware Gov. Jack Markell signs same-sex marriage law. -
Minnesota Governor signs same-sex marriage law
May 14, 2013: Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton signs same-sex marriage law. -
SCOTUS strikes down DOMA and PROP 8. Same-sex marriage legal again in CA
June 26, 2013: Supreme Court strikes down a key section of the Defense of Marriage Act and dismisses the challenge to the Proposition 8 ruling, making same-sex marriage legal once again in California. -
New Jersey Supreme Court legalizes gay marriage. Christie drops appeal
Oct. 21, 2013: New Jersey Supreme Court legalizes gay marriage, and Gov. Chris Christie drops his appeal. -
Hawaii Governor signs same-sex marriage law
Nov. 13, 2013: Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie signs same-sex marriage law. -
Illinois Governor signs same-sex marriage law
Nov. 20, 2013: Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn signs same-sex marriage law. -
New Mexico Supreme Court legalizes gay marriage
Dec. 19, 2013: New Mexico Supreme Court legalizes gay marriage in every county in the state. -
US District Judge strikes down Utah gay marriage ban. Two weeks later Supreme Court stops marriages
Dec. 20, 2013: U.S. District Judge Robert Shelby strikes down Utah's gay marriage ban; more than 1,000 same-sex couples marry over the next two weeks. With Utah appealing, the Supreme Court on Jan. 6 stops further marriages from taking place. -
US District Judge strikes down Oklahoma ban
Jan. 14, 2014: U.S. District Judge Terence Kern strikes down Oklahoma's gay marriage ban but blocks marriages while the state appeals. -
US District Judge strikes down Virginia ban
Feb. 13, 2014: U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen strikes down Virginia's same-sex marriage ban but blocks marriages during the appeal process. -
US District Judge strikes down Texas ban
Feb. 26, 2014: U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia strikes down Texas' gay marriage ban but blocks marriages while the state appeals. -
US District Judge strikes down Michigan ban
March 21, 2014: U.S. District Judge Bernard Friedman strikes down Michigan's same-sex marriage ban following a two-week trial. Gay couples marry until the next day, when a federal appeals court puts the ruling on hold. -
Arkansas Circuit Judge strikes down ban
May 9, 2014: Arkansas Circuit Judge Chris Piazza strikes down the state's gay marriage ban, and more than 400 couples receive licenses until the ruling is put on hold a week later. -
US Magistrate strikes down Idaho ban
May 13, 2014: U.S. Magistrate Candy Dale strikes down Idaho's same-sex marriage ban, but the ruling is put on hold. -
US District Judge strikes down Oregon ban
May 19, 2014: U.S. District Judge Michael McShane strikes down Oregon's same-sex marriage ban, and the state does not appeal. -
US District Judge strikes down Pennsylvania ban
May 20, 2014: U.S. District Judge John Jones strikes down Pennsylvania's gay marriage ban, and the state does not appeal. -
US District Judge strikes down Wisconsin ban
June 6, 2014: U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb strikes down Wisconsin's same-sex marriage ban; couples marry for a week until the decision is put on hold pending appeal. -
US District Judge strikes down Indiana ban
June 25, 2014: U.S. District Judge Richard Young strikes down Indiana's same-sex marriage ban, and couples begin marrying that afternoon. -
Colorado District Judge strikes down state ban
July 9, 2014: Colorado District Judge Scott Crabtree strikes down the state's gay marriage ban, and the ruling is appealed to the state Supreme Court. Weeks later, a federal district judge also rules against the gay marriage ban, and the state appeals. -
US District Judge strikes down Florida ban
July 17, 2014: U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle strikes down Florida's same-sex marriage ban following several similar rulings by state and county judges. All the rulings have been appealed. -
US District Judge upholds Louisiana ban
Sept. 3, 2014: U.S. District Judge Martin Feldman upholds Louisiana's same-sex marriage ban, becoming the first judge to buck the gay marriage trend in nearly two years. Same-sex couples appeal the ruling. -
SCOTUS refuses to hear state appeals
Oct. 6, 2014: Supreme Court refuses to hear state appeals from Utah, Oklahoma, Virginia, Indiana and Wisconsin, paving the way for gay marriage in six other states that fall within those federal circuits -- Colorado, Kansas, North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia and Wyoming. -
US Court of Appeals upholds ban in Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan and Tennessee
Nov. 6, 2014: U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit upholds same-sex marriage bans in Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee. The cases are later appealed to the Supreme Court. -
US District Judge strikes down Arkansas ban
Nov. 25, 2014: U.S. District Judge Karen Baker strikes down Arkansas' same-sex marriage ban, now on appeal. -
US District Judge strikes down South Dakota ban
Jan. 12, 2015: U.S. District Judge Karen Schreier strikes down South Dakota's ban on gay marriage, now on appeal. -
US District Judge strikes down Nebraska ban
March 2, 2015: U.S. District Judge Joseph Bataillon strikes down Nebraska's gay marriage ban, but the ruling is blocked while on appeal. -
SCOTUS legalizes same-sex marriage across the US
June 26, 2015:The Supreme Court legalizes same-sex marriage across the United States in a closely divided ruling that will stand as a milestone in its 226-year history.
