Same-sex marriage is legal in the United States. In an historic 5-4 opinion, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of marriage equality. All states must now allow same-sex couples to marry. The court rejected moves by some states to ban same-sex marriages.
The majority opinion was written by Justice Anthony Kennedy, often viewed as a key swing vote on the high court. Supporters of marriage equality view it as the top civil rights issue of modern times.
The key question facing the high court involved whether states must license same-sex marriages under the 14th Amendment, which guarantees equal protection under the law. As part of the ruling, states must now also recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states.
The Supreme Court opened the door for same-sex marriage in 2013 by striking down a key part of the federal Defense of Marriage Act.
Up to now, same-sex marriage has been legal in more than 35 states and Washington, DC.
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