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I'm going to have to say Virginia will be the first Southern state to legalize same-sex marriage, probably a year or two after Pennsylvania does. My prediction is that Pennsylvania will have a new socially liberal governor in January 2015 to replace incumbent Tom Corbett, an increasingly unpopular social conservative who opposes same-sex marriage. His successor will legalize same-sex marriage in PA in 2015. In Virginia a socially moderate Democrat, Terry McAuliffe, will be sworn in as governor in January 2014, replacing socially conservative Republican Bob McDonnell. McAuliffe just NARROWLY defeated his opponent, Ken Cuccinelli, a very socially conservative and anti-gay Republican, which is why I don't yet think Virginia will be ready for same-sex marriage during McAuliffe's tenure. With that being said assuming another moderate Democrat (or Republican) ascends into the gubernatorial office in Virginia in January 2018 we should see VA legalizing same-sex marriage in 2018.
Florida is also part of the South, sure we do have a more Spanish/Caribbean influence to our culture, but we do have Southern Culture mixed in as well. We also have some notable gay communities here, such as Key West.
However I don't think any southern state (Florida included) will ever legalize gay marriage. This is the south, we are more conservative, especially socially (nothing wrong with that). Here in Florida most people are against gay marriage. I would like to point out that despite what gay activists and liberals like to say, just because a person doesn't support gay marriage doesn't mean their a homophobe or that they hate gays. I don't support gay marriage (I do support Civil Unions with equal benefits for gays) but I don't hate gays at all.
I think it's going to be a stalemate issue, some states will allow it, some will not.
I'm going to have to say Virginia will be the first Southern state to legalize same-sex marriage, probably a year or two after Pennsylvania does. My prediction is that Pennsylvania will have a new socially liberal governor in January 2015 to replace incumbent Tom Corbett, an increasingly unpopular social conservative who opposes same-sex marriage. His successor will legalize same-sex marriage in PA in 2015. In Virginia a socially moderate Democrat, Terry McAuliffe, will be sworn in as governor in January 2014, replacing socially conservative Republican Bob McDonnell. McAuliffe just NARROWLY defeated his opponent, Ken Cuccinelli, a very socially conservative and anti-gay Republican, which is why I don't yet think Virginia will be ready for same-sex marriage during McAuliffe's tenure. With that being said assuming another moderate Democrat (or Republican) ascends into the gubernatorial office in Virginia in January 2018 we should see VA legalizing same-sex marriage in 2018.
I think you'd need a liberal legislature and I just don't see that happening for a while because of how conservative the rest of the state is outside the major population centers.
Why aren't Virginia and Florida choices? Virginia will be the first to pass, and then Florida. There's little hope for the rest, except maybe Georgia, as they are filled with Bible-thumping, fire-breathing religiously fanatical homophobes.
Why aren't Virginia and Florida choices? Virginia will be the first to pass, and then Florida. There's little hope for the rest, except maybe Georgia, as they are filled with Bible-thumping, fire-breathing religiously fanatical homophobes.
Because of that reason. I wanted to know which of the more conservative southern states people think will pass it first.
Florida is also part of the South, sure we do have a more Spanish/Caribbean influence to our culture, but we do have Southern Culture mixed in as well. We also have some notable gay communities here, such as Key West.
However I don't think any southern state (Florida included) will ever legalize gay marriage. This is the south, we are more conservative, especially socially (nothing wrong with that). Here in Florida most people are against gay marriage. I would like to point out that despite what gay activists and liberals like to say, just because a person doesn't support gay marriage doesn't mean their a homophobe or that they hate gays. I don't support gay marriage (I do support Civil Unions with equal benefits for gays) but I don't hate gays at all.
I think it's going to be a stalemate issue, some states will allow it, some will not.
Boy, I believe you are in for a shock in the coming years. Marriage equality will come to Florida, Texas (where I reside) and other Southern states as time goes by. How much time remains to be seen but this year alone, states allowing same sex marriage have literally doubled! That's eight states in one years time, including Utah of all states. Plus, many of today's younger generations, in ALL states are supporting marriage equality and other LGBT rights, while many of the older generations are not. This will only work in favor of marriage equality as the older generations die off. This train isn't going to stop and while I see some socially conservative states as being an obstacle to marriage equality, they will definitely not deter it.
Not to get off topic as you did, but Marriage is marriage! It's between two consenting adults. You can call it a Civil Union, Skim Milk or whatever you may like so that you feel your heterosexual marriages hold more weight but it's still marriage. Quite frankly it's rather discriminatory to call it by anything else. Also, maybe the more appropriate word you are looking for is bigot, rather than homophobe.
Because of that reason. I wanted to know which of the more conservative southern states people think will pass it first.
Okay, got it. Of the hardcore conservative states, I'd say GA. At least you have Atlanta, a fairly liberal large city, and a city which attracts a lot of transplants from more progressive parts of the country. That being said, I think you're a long way off, because GA is still mostly rural, and still very much a Bible Belt state. You need to get those people out of the 12th and into the 21st century (which isn't going to be easy!) before you can even think about anything relating to LGBT rights.
I would have picked Virginia.Florida is a wierd state.No telling which direction they are going.
Don't forget that most Hispanic Americans are Catholic and are opposed to gay marriage. While there certainly a transplanted liberal elite in South Florida I don't think they can outvote the conservative Christians in North Florida, or the blacks and Hispanics.
It may happen in Texas unfortunately with all the liberal transplants. And with Texas being conservative, I think its much more fiscally conservative than it is socially conservative. Houston has a gay mayor now. Fiscally Texas is more conservative than Arkansas (which has a distressing number of Democrats on the state level!!!) but socially its not as conservative as the Deep South. While I am against gay marriage, that is not a major issue for me....abortion, illegal immigration, and taxes/welfare reform are the most important for me. its more important to stop the expansion of abortion, stop Obamacare, stop illegal immigration, stop gun control, and fight the EPA and the liberal taxes and regulations that kill jobs than to fight gay marriage IMO.
What makes Texas one of the best states in America its its pro-business envrionemnt, low taxes, less regulations compared to other parts of the country.
Location: Appalachian New York, Formerly Louisiana
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I would go with Virginia.
(Why aren't Virginia and Kentucky on the poll?)
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