While same-sex marriage became legal in Illinois Tuesday, Wisconsin gay rights advocates say the state’s lesbian, gay, transgender, bisexual and queer community is unlikely to see a similar policy change in the state’s current political climate.
Sarah Karon, spokesperson at the Wisconsin chapter of American Civil Liberties Union, said although she is excited to see same-sex marriage move into more states, it is not a priority for Wisconsin legislators.
“We are thrilled about our neighbor Illinois, and the ACLU would obviously love to have the same law legalized here,” Karon said. “We would love Wisconsin to be a freedom to marry state.”
Karma Chavez, a UW professor who specializes in LGBTQ social movements, said in an email to The Badger Herald that while there has been a recent uptick in states moving to pass gay marriage laws, Wisconsin is not one of them.
“Given the current state of the Legislature and Gov. [Scott] Walker’s positions on this matter, it certainly doesn’t seem Wisconsin will be going in that direction any time soon,” Chavez said. “Yet, it is also true that a number of Republicans around the U.S. continue to modify their positions on this issue.”
However, according to Chavez, it is still possible that Wisconsin Republicans will decide to do the same.
However, Chavez said LGBTQ residents in Wisconsin face more pressing issues outside of marriage. Many LGBTQ Wisconsinites are homeless or are victims of violence and harassment, making life more difficult for those who do not conform to gender roles, Chavez said.
ACLU has been focusing on improving the lives of LGBTQ Wisconsinites in other ways beyond same-sex marriage as well, Karon said.
“Unfortunately, the likelihood of Wisconsin becoming a freedom to marry state with the Legislature and governor is highly unlikely,” Karon said. “But we can do things like encourage same-sex and transgender couples to apply for benefits and lobby to support federal acts that support gay rights, employment and non-discrimination acts.”
After the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of allowing federal benefits to same-sex couples in June, ACLU is urging same-sex couples to apply for federal benefits in Wisconsin, she said.
Although Wisconsin does not allow same-sex marriage and instead has domestic partnerships, ACLU believes the ruling overrides the state’s jurisdiction and should allow same sex-couples to receive benefits, Karon said.
She said members are not yet sure whether or not the Social Security Administration and federal agency will allow for same-sex couples to receive benefits, but the organization is encouraging individuals to apply regardless.
Despite facing obstacles in Wisconsin, Karon added the progress made over the last year is still impressive.
Forty percent of the U.S. population today lives in a world where they are free to marry whoever they want, an improvement of nearly 30 percent from last year, she said.
“I think anyone who is living throughout this moment in history is witnessing a historic victory for loving, committed same-sex couples across the nation,” Karon said.
