Hawaii is the newest of the 50 states, sitting just southwest of the continental United States. With just over a million permanent residents, gay culture is vibrant in the paradise state.
Civil Unions
Hawaii is a favorite destination for travelers looking to tie the knot before an island sunset, but what about Hawaii's LGBT residents?
Gay and lesbian residents had hoped that they would be able to enter into civil unions thanks to civil unions bill passed by the state legislature on April 29, 2010.
Those hopes came to a quick end when Republican Governor Linda Lingle vetoed the bill, calling it "essentially same-sex marriage by another name."
The gay-affirmative legislation would have changed the tempo of Hawaiian social politics. Back in 1998, voters approved a constitutional amendment that defined marriage as between one man and one woman.
Civil Unions
Hawaii is a favorite destination for travelers looking to tie the knot before an island sunset, but what about Hawaii's LGBT residents?
Gay and lesbian residents had hoped that they would be able to enter into civil unions thanks to civil unions bill passed by the state legislature on April 29, 2010.
Those hopes came to a quick end when Republican Governor Linda Lingle vetoed the bill, calling it "essentially same-sex marriage by another name."
The gay-affirmative legislation would have changed the tempo of Hawaiian social politics. Back in 1998, voters approved a constitutional amendment that defined marriage as between one man and one woman.
