Same Sex Marriage One Step Closer To Becoming Legal

Same sex marriage is now one step closer to being legal in Oklahoma.

Today, the 10th circuit ruled Utah's ban on same sex marriage, unconstitutional. Oklahoma's ban is still pending, but a similar ruling could be on the way.

For months, Oklahoma's battle on gay marriage has been closely compared to Utah's fight, and even though a stay has been issued and no same sex marriages can be performed, the opinion still impacts Oklahomans.

"It's been a long time coming," said Oklahoma couple Sharon Baldwin and Mary Bishop. "It is kind of surreal, because for so many years nothing really happened."

For the past decade, Baldwin and Bishop have fought against the state's ban on same-sex marriage.

After today's 2-1 ruling by the 10th circuit court of appeals on Utah's ban being unconstitutional, Baldwin and Bishop consider that a win, since Oklahoma is in the 10th circuit as well.

"We're just extremely excited and relieved, and we know we will get the same ruling here in Oklahoma," Bishop and Baldwin said.

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The same emotions and expectations are shared with Cimarron Alliance's Scott J. Hamilton.

"We are more optimistic than ever," said LGBT rights group Cimarron Alliance's Scott J. Hamilton.

And even with the stay, Hamilton along with Bishop and Baldwin feel the ruling itself is an equal right statement. State Representative Sally Kern goes back to the statement she feels the people of Oklahoma made in 2004, banning same sex marriage with a state wide vote.

"We need to affirm the voice of the people and that marriage is between a man and a woman and that every child deserves a mom and a dad," Representative Sally Kern said.

Every party involved fully expects an appeal to today's decision will be made to the U.S. Supreme Court.

"All the courts in America can rule that same sex marriage is legal, it won't make it right," Kern said.

"We really can't argue one way or another, because they are looking at what the constitution says," Hamilton said.

Baldwin and Bishop have no plans to marry until that ruling from the Supreme Court is passed down.

Just like today's decision, it is unclear when the court will rule on Bishop's case in Oklahoma.