Maryland voters pushed through Question 6, becoming the first state to pass a referendum legalizing same sex civil marriage Nov. 6. The law, which received 52 percent of the vote, will take effect Jan. 1.

While 65 percent of those who turned out at the polls in Montgomery County voted yes on Question 6, opposition was stronger in rural counties. Gay-Straight Alliance sponsor Derrick Ryan believes the marriage equality movement has gained significant momentum.

“The tide has changed, and we really can’t go back now,” he said. “It takes people who’ve been educated on the issue and have heard both sides of the story.”

Gov. Martin O’Malley made same-sex marriage a part of his legislative platform in early 2012 and signed legislation legalizing same sex marriage in March. The law was soon forced to go to a referendum after the Maryland Marriage Alliance collected 160,000 signatures opposing the legislation.

The National Organization of Marriage, another group that opposes gay marriage, is concerned that proponents of same sex marriage will claim that the law’s passage indicates a change in public perception.

“Americans remain strongly in favor of marriage as the union of one man and one woman,” the organization said in a Nov. 7 press release. “The election results reflect the political and funding advantages our opponents enjoyed in these very liberal states.”

A May 2012 Gallup Poll, however, found that 50 percent of voters believe same sex marriages are valid and deserve the same rights as traditional marriages.

Members of the GSA believe that under the new law, the next generation’s future looks bright. As gay marriage becomes legalized in more states, the public’s attitude towards gays will change, club president Amye Elfin said.

“The idea that being gay is different will start to change if gay marriage is the norm,” Elfin, a junior, said. “If you can start in states where it’s already acceptable and move to the places where it’s not, it’s getting done, and it’s a big deal.”

Sophomore Nina Sinexian, who is also a GSA member, hopes that the legalization of same sex marriage will make her children more comfortable to be gay.

“We’re the generation that’s going to be changed a lot. It’s going to be easier for our kids to come out,” Sinexian said.

Elfin predicts that a nationwide change in values will make a difference in the years to come, as gays will be treated as equals.

“Future generations will be raised to be more open and to understand that being gay is different, but it doesn’t make you any less of a person,” she said. “It doesn’t mean that you should have fewer rights.”

The law doesn’t require religious institutions to perform any marriage in violation of its beliefs. Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin shares Ryan’s view.

“This is a milestone night for the simple truth that when Americans are presented with the real lives of their friends and neighbors, they have no choice but to vote for their equality,” Griffin said in a blog statement on HRC’s website. “It is the momentum reflected in poll after poll that shows a growing majority for marriage equality across the country.”