This is particularly significant since Hawaii is the state which started the modern marriage equality movement in the US with Baehr v. Miike, leading indirectly to the Defence of Marriage Act and a wave of state constitutional amendments.
Hawaii makes, what, 16 states? One more and it’ll be legal in 1/3 of the states.
The funny thing is that I remember 2004 and how the writing was on the wall for SSM, how states were all adopting anti-SSM legislation or amending their constitutions, and how the proponents of SSM were a hopeless minority that were doomed to spend decades in the wilderness.
Amazing how quickly things can change.
Including Illinois, it’s 16 states plus Washington DC. In fact, if you count by state populations, more than 1/3 of America already has same-sex marriage.
The tide doth turn-eth.
(Is turn-eth an actual word?)
This is great. I was just talking to my students here in Taiwan about gay marriage and how much attitudes are changing.
Congrats from Illinois! 
Gov. Quinn hasn’t signed the IL bill yet (though he said he will).
He and Gov. Abercrombie should sign their bills at the same time and then get married via Skype.
Amazing to think that less than three years ago it was only six states. Ay this rate, 12 more years and the whole country will gay (marriage) friendly.
Worldwide, if you count by population rather than by the number of countries, the fraction of the world with SSM has just about doubled in the last year (from just over 300 million to just over 600 million). This is mainly due to France, Brazil and California.
Yes, but not with the auxiliary verb “doth”.
I wonder what that last state to authorize SSM marriage will be?
Not exactly. HI doesn’t officially come online until early December. The Governor of IL said that he will sign on Monday and then it won’t be until June that they will actually have SSM. If no other States jump the queue before then, it will be 38% of the US that will have SSM.
The last bunch will probably all come on at once via a SCOTUS decision, most of which will be in the South.
Without including HI or IL, New Jersey already put it at 33.1%, which is admittedly not quite one-third. HI in December will push it over the line to 33.5%.
Mississippi only bothered to ratify the 13th amendment in 1995.
And dare I note?
Hawaii’s legislature passed the bill. Hawaii’s governor will sign it.
That’s how a nation which professes belief in self-governance should enact substantive changes to the law. I applaud the duly-elected representatives of Hawaii for making the correct choice – but more importantly, I note that the voters of Hawaii are the ones whose will is expressed through their elected representatives.
There was an article in the New York Times that claimed that the 1993 decision started the marriage equality movement worldwide, not just in the US.
I doubt you were serious but, short of a SCotUS decision or US constitutional amendment (yeah, right), I doubt this. Too many states have passed bans (often to their state constitutions) that will be difficult to overturn/remove. Even in states where majority support leans towards allowing SSM, the mechanics for amending the state constitution often mean a distinct minority can block the change. There was rumblings that Nevada may attempt to abolish their SSM ban but that would take years due to the required waiting periods between votes, etc.
Good for Hawaii. The tide really does seem to have turned, though I agree with hajario that it will eventually take a Loving decision. But the case name probably won’t be quite as cool. 
I suspect it will need to be an amendment or SCotUS decision for all 50 states to have gay marriage in my lifetime. Utah isn’t going anytime in the near future without it. I’m middle aged, maybe some of our youngest Dopers will see it without one of those things happening.
I applaud your constant calls for restraint on the issue of rights and recognition involving a group you are not a part of. Truly, you’re an inspiration.