The first state-sanctioned gay marriages in Massachusetts were set to begin on Monday after the United States Supreme Court refused to step in and block the weddings.
The high court’s decision on Friday was the last chance for gay marriage opponents to block the unions in the East Coast US state. The justices issued no comment in their decision.
The way was cleared for the historic marriages when the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled in favour of full rights for gay couples in February and set Monday as the date when the marriages of same-sex couples could begin.
Since then, Massachusetts legislators have also taken action on gay marriage. In March, they gave preliminary approval to a proposed constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage. The amendment defines marriage as between a man and a woman, but it allows civil unions for same-sex couples.
But the process to enact the amendment will take years. In order for it to go into effect, a second legislature — one will be elected in November — would also have to pass the measure, which would still require the public’s approval in a referendum. The earliest date a referendum could be conducted is November 2006.
Gay marriage has become the year’s leading social issue in the US — approaching abortion in its divisiveness. The California city of San Francisco began marrying gay couples in February. Thousands tied the knot before the marriages were stopped in March by the California Supreme Court pending a full hearing. — Sapa-DPA