On April 24, Rhode Island took a step toward becoming the 10th U.S. state to legalize same-sex marriage when its Senate approved a measure that would grant gays and lesbians the right to wed. Our analysis also discusses four other states that are considering proposals related to same-sex marriage.

The Obama administration has submitted a “friend-of-the-court” brief on the legal challenge to California’s gay marriage ban, which will be argued before the U.S. Supreme Court on March 26.

On Feb. 14, the Illinois Senate passed a measure that would legalize same-sex marriage in the state. Nine states and the District of Columbia already allow gays and lesbians to marry. And the U.S. public's support for same-sex marriage has been on the rise.

Updated April 11, 2013. A fact sheet provides an overview of the situation in the nations where same-sex marriage is legal nationwide as well as countries that allow it in certain jurisdictions.

In recent years, same-sex marriage has been a contentious subject within many religious groups in the U.S. Here is an overview of where 16 religious groups stand on this issue.  

Across the U.S., a fierce debate is taking place between those who hope all gays and lesbians will soon have the right to marry and those who believe that same-sex marriage is helping to undermine heterosexual marriage. Read about the history and current status of the same-sex marriage debate.