gay marriage in mt

montana was one of the eleven states that passed a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage last tuesday -- along with arkansas, georgia, kentucky, michigan, mississippi, north dakota, ohio, oklahoma, oregon and utah (joining the merry company of alaska, hawaii, louisiana, missouri, nebraska and nevada). thirty-eight of our states, including montana, already had laws banning gay marriages, but apparently those were not sufficient.

[i am rapidly compiling a lists of states in which i plan never to live (it's a shame about alaska).]

in big sky country, the amendment passed by a "resounding" 66 percent (as compared to 86 percent in mississippi and 59 percent in oregon, which i guess makes us moderates).

now mt's gay couples that married in oregon are worried about losing benefits. montana state university is reconsidering its policy allowing gay couples married in other states to stay in family housing. in a fit of eternal optimism, however, four montana legislators have proposed bills that call for civil unions, next-of-kin partner rights, and changes to montana's human rights act and hate crime laws to include sexual orientation. so we'll have to wait and see.