Marriage Equality: Where does Colorado stand?
Denver recently scored a “100” from the Human Rights Campaign, a perfect score! From non-discrimination laws, to municipal services, to fair enforcement of laws, to the relationship the city has with the LGBTQ community, Denver nailed it. This is not without saying it has always been this way, and it has been a long road getting to this point. No matter the score, it’s still not perfect or will ever be perfect, because let’s face the facts, nothing is perfect. For example, the Colorado Senate blocked a ban on conversion therapy for minors 3 times in the past 3 years, but for the most part Denver has become a great place for LGBTQ couples (and their families!) to call home and start a family.
In July 2014, a ban against same sex marriages was finally revoked, and the state began issuing marriage certificates to same-sex couples by the end of the year. Then a year later, the Supreme Court decided that the fundamental right to marry is guaranteed to same-sex couples.
Colorado Civil Rights Committee ruled in approval of gay couples in 2014. Colorado has a clear statute pertaining to the discrimination of this kind and prohibits public accommodations. Remember the Denver bakery that refused to make a cake for a gay couple’s wedding?
While there are still many problems, Colorado and its citizens, from LGBTQ folks to cis-gendered hetero folks (and everyone in between) have worked hard for legislative equality and also towards social equality. Fingers crossed, the work that all Coloradans have done together over the past few years continues, and we continue to lead the country in inclusiveness and acceptance AND hopefully, set a good exampled for other states that aren’t as inclusive. The gears of change are slow, and Colorado is not perfect, but we as Coloradans are happy to be on the right side of history.
If you’re interested in starting a family in Colorado, we’d love to hear from you!