STATUS: Anti-relationship recognition constitutional amendment

TAKE ACTION: State advocacy groups are working toward fairness for all of North Carolina's families by overturning a constitutional amendment that prohibits any form of family status for same-sex couples in the state.

HISTORY: On May 8, 2012, anti-gay forces in North Carolina pushed through Amendment One, a constitutional amendment that excludes same-sex couples from marriage and prohibits same-sex couples from attaining any form of legal family status. 

A number of cities and counties provide domestic partnership registries for some same-sex couples.

GROUPS ACTIVELY WORKING ON MARRIAGE: 

• Equality NC is a statewide advocacy organization that works to secure equal rights and justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender North Carolinians.
• 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. 
• The Campaign for Southern Equality is a national effort to assert the full humanity and equality of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in American life and to increase public support for LGBT rights. 

POLLING DATA: A majority (63%) of North Carolina residents say they support marriages or civil unions for same-sex couples, with 37% opposed. (Public Policy Polling, February 2013) 

NUMBER OF SAME-SEX COUPLES: According to The Williams Institute's analysis of the 2010 U.S. Census, 18,309 same-sex couples are living in North Carolina, representing 4.9 same-sex couples per 1,000 households.