Researchers also acknowledge that high-levels of stress can be maintained even after a distressful event has passed. This is common in victims of highly traumatic events, such as surviving a war, natural disasters, or violent assaults; they may carry a heightened risk of dementia and Alzheimer's Disease.
This timeline highlights the changes in state policies leading up to that ruling, starting in 1995 â when Utah became the first state to enact a Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Massachusetts became the first state to legalize same-sex marriage following a ruling by the stateâs highest court in 2003. Drag the pointer or click on the timeline above the map to explore all 50 statesâ changes over time.
The US Supreme Court has ruled that same-sex marriage is a legal right across the United States. It means the 14 states with bans on same-sex marriage will no longer be able to enforce them. Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote that the plaintiffs asked for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right..