为了争取与异性夫妇同等的法律承认和保护，同性夫妇纷纷在法庭对有关各州的禁令进行抗争。很多 支持他们的法院认为，根据美国宪法（U.S. Constitution），婚姻是每一个人都应该享有的权利，以性倾向为由采取歧视态度属于非法。

2013年，美国最高法院推翻了1996 的一项联邦法律。根据原来的法律，“婚姻”和“配偶”只适用于异性婚姻。最高法院预定4月 28日举行听辩会，有可能最终推翻美国所有现存的禁止同性婚姻的禁令。美国正 经历一场文化大变革，因为年轻一代对同性关系接触更多，也更容易接受，可为 有关的选举议题和推翻州禁令提供支持。很多主流宗教团体和政治组织，包括全国有色人种协进会（National Association for the Advancement of Colored People）都公开支持同性夫妇的权利。以下视频介绍了美国很多年轻人的看法。他们认为爱就是爱，无关性别。

视频：http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XOTM4NTA0MTEy.html

纽约大学（New York University）教授帕特里克·伊根（Patrick Egan ）曾经问道，“这些人愿意相守一生，忠贞不渝。你准备从法律上承认他们，还是希望法律强制宣布这份誓言无效？”

How same-sex marriage is becoming legal in the U.S.

Thirty-seven U.S. states and the District of Columbia currently issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. But it has been only 11 years since Massachusetts became the first U.S. state to overturn its law banning same-sex marriage.

At that time, only 30 percent of Americans supported the idea. In 2015, that figure has doubled to 60 percent, and more than 70 percent of Americans now live in states where gay marriage is legal. For many gay rights activists, the quick legal and cultural change has been nothing short of a revolution.

As same-sex couples sought the same legal recognition and protections that heterosexual couples enjoy, they challenged state bans in courts. Many courts that sided with them took the view that marriage is a right guaranteed to everyone under the U.S. Constitution, and discrimination based on sexual orientation is unlawful. In 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a 1996 federal law that restricted the terms of “marriage” and “spouse” to apply only to heterosexual unions. The court will be hearing arguments April 28 that could ultimately lead it to overturn all remaining bans on same-sex marriages in United States.

America underwent a cultural transformation as younger generations, more exposed to and accepting of same-sex relationships, lent their support to ballot measures and state efforts to overturn the bans. Many mainstream religious groups and political organizations, including the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, have lent their public support for the rights of same-sex couples.

This video highlights the attitudes of many younger Americans who agree that love is love, regardless of gender.

link: http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XOTM4NTA0MTEy.html 

As New York University professor Patrick Egan asked, “Are you going to legally recognize these people who are willing to make a lifelong commitment to one another, or are you going to use the force of law to render that commitment null and void?”