The battle over marriage equality, in three maps

The Obama administration’s urging of the Supreme Court to reverse California’s ban on same-sex marriage marked its entry into a contentious legal battle and its latest appearance in the larger fight over the question of whether same-sex couples should be allowed to marry. Below, we take a closer look at how the fight has been unfolding across the country, state by state. And be sure to also check out The Washington Post’s thorough, state-by-state rundown of same-sex marriage status in the U.S. This map, from the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life details where gay marriage is and isn’t legal. It also points out the states with same-sex marriage bans, and the states where same-sex marriage is neither legal nor banned. It’s also worth bearing in mind that last November, gay rights advocates scored big victories when voters in Maine, Maryland and Washington approved same-sex marriage laws, while voters in Minnesota defeated a same-sex marriage constitutional ban.