This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Illinois State chapter.
It’s official: Gay marriage will soon be legal in Illinois.
The bill, SB10, legalizing same-sex marriage was narrowly passed in the House after two hours of heated debate. The bill then went back to the Senate, where it passed with an overwhelming majority. SB10 will now move to the desk of Governor Pat Quinn, who has already pledged to sign in into law. Today’s actions will formally make the great state of Illinois the 15th in the nation to legalize gay marriage.
So, what does this mean for the gay and lesbian community in the Land of Lincoln?
Legally, within the state, the definition of marriage will change from “an act between a man and a woman” to “an act between two people.” Within a year of the law going into the books civil unions could be converted into marriages. However, those facts (and their included tax, medical and death benefits) pale in comparison to the cultural shift.
With gay marriage legalized the LGBT community takes a step forward in banishing the stigma assigned to same-sex civil unions. From now on equality will be the norm in Illinois, and lawmakers from Mayor Rahm Emmanuel to President Obama are praising the bill’s passing.
“Today is a critical moment in history for Illinois and for the entire LGBT movement. Finally, gays and lesbians across our state are guaranteed the fundamental right to marry, and countless couples with children will be acknowledged for what they are under the law — families just like everyone else,” Mayor Emmanuel said in a statement after the bill passed in the House. President Obama’s message was more condensed, tweeting “This is huge,” after the bill passed in the Senate.
Today marks a brave day for the state of Illinois, finally succeeding in allowing couples and families alike to enjoy the benefits they so richly deserve. Congratulations to the Illinois government for passing SB10: truly, a remarkable day for equality.