It is no secret that Kentucky is often behind the times on social issues.

Kentucky is a state that is often made fun of for its lack of forward thinking. And until recently, the state was lagging behind much of the country regarding same-sex marriage.

But while things are starting to change, it’s coming from the courts. Last month, a federal judge ruled that Kentucky must recognize same-sex marriages performed elsewhere.

But the ruling won’t affect a state Constitutional amendment that bans same-sex marriages from being performed within the state’s borders. A federal judge recently ruled that a similar Texas ban on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional.

It’s one more sign that America is beginning to understand the discrimination in these laws.

If the appeal fails, more than a third of states will allow same-sex marriage.

Long-held discriminatory laws are under rapid fire across the country, and states on that side are feeling more pressure with each new piece of legislation.

Attorneys general in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Nevada and Oregon have finally listened to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder’s advice and stopped defending their states’ bans on same-sex marriages, and that trend is not slowing down.

Kentuckians shouldn’t wonder if same-sex marriages will be performed in the Bluegrass, they should wonder when.

It is not a religious argument any more. This is a legal argument that affects marriage in only the governmental sense. It’s part of the government’s job to protect its citizens, not discriminate against them.

Now is the time to redefine what marriage legally means in our state. Now is the time to fully strike down Kentucky’s amendment that bans same-sex marriage. Now is the time to realize it is unconstitutional and perpetuates inequality in the commonwealth. If Texas and 16 other states can do it, so can Kentucky.

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