When two individuals of same sex or gender get married in a legal or religious ceremony, this is referred to as a same-sex wedding, also known as a gay marriage or a homosexual marriage. Records of same-sex marriages date back to the first century, according to some sources. In the modern period, marital equality was first given to same-sex partners in the Netherland on April 1, 2001, marking the beginning of the modern era. The question of whether or not same-sex marriage should be legalized in the United States is a very contentious and divided one. Congress, state legislatures, federal and state courts, and the ballot box are all debating a variety of “hot button” issues relating to same-sex marriage at the moment. Despite widespread support for establishing civil unions for same-sex couples, a recent survey found that just 39 percent of the general population favors giving these couples full marriage privileges. These national figures, on the other hand, obscure the enormous variation that exists from state to state. Consider the fact that although 53 percent of the population in Rhode Island favors legalizing same-sex marriage, just 23 percent of the people in Alabama agrees.