The Supreme Court of California, on Thursday ruled that same sex couples have a constitutional right to marry. This judgment of the California Supreme Court strikes down two state laws that had earlier limited marriages only between a man and a woman. This makes California the second state after Massachusetts to allow same sex marriages.

 

This decision will be effective in the next 30 days until the court grants a stay order. This decision was greeted with celebrations at the City Hall in San Francisco where thousands of same sex marriages were disallowed by the courts four years ago. Same sex marriages have been a highly debatable issue even in the presidential Congressional elections but it is not yet clear as to what role the ruling party will play in the elections. However, the Democratic and Republican candidates for President have said that they believe that a marriage should be always between a man and a woman.

 

The Chief Justice Ronald.M.George wrote that given the historic, cultural, symbolic and constitutional significance of the marriage, the state just cannot limit the availability to opposite sex couples. Meanwhile, the supporters of the gay marriage believe that this ruling will act as a milestone. The executive director of Freedom to Marry, Evan Wolfson said that this decision will give Americans the lived experience that ending exclusion from marriage helps families and harms no one. He further said that same sex marriages are already legal in countries like South Africa, Canada, Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands.

 

On the other hand Maggie Gallagher, president of the National Organization for Marriage believes that the court was wrong and that it totally put aside the entire history and the meaning of marriage. According to data, in California alone, there are about 110,000 same sex couples. The state has a strong partnership law which actually gives the couples who register, nearly all of the major benefits and burdens of such a marriage.

 

In 1977, through a law and a statewide initiative approved by the voters in 2000, same sex marriage was banned. Marriage was defined as being limited to union between a man and a woman. Meanwhile, the Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is a Republican, said that he respected the court's ruling and did not quite support a constitutional amendment to overthrow it.

 

Other high courts of the state are to consider the question of gay marriage in recent years, including those in New York, New Jersey and Washington. However, they have been closely divided about this issue. Meanwhile, a decision from the Connecticut Supreme Court is expected soon.