Vermont Legislature Puts Gay Couples At Ease With Marriage Vote

Gay and lesbian couples anxious to marry in Vermont can now lay at ease. The state legislature overrode Gov. Jim Douglas’s veto of a bill allowing same-sex couples to marry, making Vermont the first state to allow gay marriage through legislative action.

In 2000, Vermont became the first state to grant civil unions and now with House and Senate votes of 100 to 49 and 25 to 5, respectively, Vermont becomes the forth US state to allow same-sex marriage behind Massachusetts, Connecticut and Iowa. The legislative branches were successful in procuring two-thirds or the exact number of votes needed to override Gov. Douglas's veto. The legislation goes into effect September 1.

Does same-sex marriage in Vermont signal a shift in populist opinion or is it the propagation of political agenda?

New York Times reporters Abby Goognough and Anahad O'Connor note: "Opponents of gay marriage have argued that the success of the movement in New England is more political than populist, pointing out that for the most part, the courts rather than the voters have been the main actors." Yet, as representatives of the people, Vermont's legislative branch spoke in sweeping consensus against a politically charged threat from the executive branch. The people have spoken.

"This has been a great day for democracy ... with a small and big D," LGBT blogger/activist Rod McCullum says of the decision. The affirmative vote for Vermont gay marriage places the Northeast at the forefront of equal gay rights.

What's next? As writer Darian Aaron points out: "All eyes are on California now."

Same-Sex Marriage Basics:
Why We Need Gay Marriage
Where Gay Marriage is Legal
The Difference Between Gay Marriage and Civil Unions
Planning A Gay Wedding Ceremony
Shopping For Wedding Bands
Divorce - Dissolving Same Sex Marriages and Civil Unions

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