Arkansas

STATUS: Anti-relationship recognition constitutional amendment

TAKE ACTION: State advocacy groups continue to work toward repealing marriage and relationship recognition discrimination and winning the freedom to marry for the citizens of Arkansas.

HISTORY: In November 2004, anti-gay forces in Arkansas pushed through an anti-marriage constitutional amendment that excludes same-sex couples from marriage and prohibits them from attaining any other form of legal family status. In 2008, the state also passed a discriminatory anti-adoption and foster care measure.

GROUPS ACTIVELY WORKING ON MARRIAGE:

  • Center for Artistic Revolution is a 501(c)(3)-sponsored statewide organization that strives for fairness and equality for all Arkansans.
  • Freedom to Marry is the campaign to win marriage for same-sex couples nationwide. 
  • Human Rights Campaign is the United States' largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) equality. 

NUMBER OF SAME-SEX COUPLES: According to The Williams Institute's analysis of the 2010 U.S. Census, 4,226 same-sex couples are living in Arkansas, representing 3.7 same-sex couples per 1,000 households.  

Blog Posts Related to Arkansas

Mayors in Kansas and Arkansas speak out for the freedom to marry

This week, a number of new mayors joined the Mayors for the Freedom to Marry coalition - including Mayor Lioneld Jordan from Fayetteville, AR and Mayor Barb Shirley from Salina, KS.

Movement to ban same-sex couples from adopting: sacrificing the well-being of children

Florida is the only state that bans any gay man or lesbian from adopting. And that has created a dilemma for the courts: either they honor the law or honor their duty to rule in the best interests of the children.

Gay rights groups hit Mike Huckabee

Gay groups are lashing out at former Arkansas GOP Gov. Mike Huckabee for saying in a recent interview that he doesn’t support the freedom to marry, in part, because of the “ick factor.”

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Resources Related to Arkansas

Census 2010: More Gay Parents Raising Children in South

UCLA demographers analyzing 2010 Census Bureau data have found that same-sex couples raising children are more common in the South than in any other region in the United States.

Results from Ballot Measures in AZ, AR, CA, CT and FL

Find results for states with anti-gay ballot measures in the 2008 election.

Arkansas Census Snapshot

Demographic and economic information about same-sex couples and same-sex couples raising children in Arkansas.

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