Politics same sex marriageMichael SamMissouri

Openly Gay Missouri Politician: Stories Like Michael Sam's Can Help Repeal State's Marriage Ban

Gay Missouri Rep: Michael Sam's Story Can Help Repeal Marriage Ban
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Editor, HuffPost Video

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Openly gay Missouri state representative Mike Colona is working to repeal his state's ban on same-sex marriage, and he might get a little help from the powerful coming out story of Michael Sam.

Colona spoke with HuffPost Live's Marc Lamont Hill on May 12 about whether Sam's recent draft to the St. Louis Rams could influence the efforts to rid Missouri of its prohibition on same-sex marriage.

Missouri was the first state to pass a gay marriage ban in 2004, but Colona said stories like Sam's illustrate how far the state has come since.

"The biggest change that we've had is the simple fact that so many people have come out. When I ran for office, it was seven years ago. Part of my political platform was to try to change some of the discrimination laws in Missouri. So I ran as an out gay individual. But part of that message was you don’t really have to be involved in politics to be able to affect something like this. If we really want to change the hearts and minds of people, what we need to do is come out and just share our story. If you think about it over the past five, six, seven years, our friends, neighbors, family members, siblings, have all come out and shared their story with us, and I think that's the biggest difference between now and 10 or 11 years ago."

Watch the full HuffPost Live conversation about Missouri's same-sex laws below:

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Before You Go

Gay Marriage In The United States
Maryland(01 of16)
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Voters in Maryland approved marriage equality in the November 2012 election.Initially, the gay marriage bill was signed into law by Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) on March 1, 2012, but opponents gathered enough signatures to force the issue back onto the ballot. With the passing of marriage equality, same-sex marriage ceremonies began on Jan. 1, 2013. (credit:AP)
Iowa(02 of16)
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Iowa's Supreme Court ruled the state's gay marriage ban unconstitutional on April 3, 2009. (credit:Getty)
Maine(03 of16)
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Maine made history in the November 2012 election when it became the first state to pass marriage equality on the ballot. Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin said, "Voters in Maine came to the common-sense conclusion that all people deserve the ability to make loving, lifelong commitments through marriage."Just three years ago, a popular vote overturned legislation that would have legalized same-sex marriage in the state. (credit:AP)
Massachusetts(04 of16)
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Massachusetts became the first state in the nation to legalize same-sex marriage on May 17, 2004. The state's Supreme Court initially found the ban on gay marriage unconstitutional on Nov. 18, 2003. (credit:AP)
New Hampshire(05 of16)
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Same-sex couples were able to begin seeking marriage licenses on Jan. 1, 2010. (credit:Flickr: jimbowen0306)
Vermont(06 of16)
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Vermont, which invented civil unions, became the first state to legalize gay marriage through a legislature's vote -- overriding the governor's veto. Same-sex couples were able to begin marrying on Sept, 1, 2009. (credit:Flickr: Tony Fischer Photography)
Washington D.C.(07 of16)
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Gay couples were able to begin marrying in the nation's capital on March 9, 2010. (credit:Flickr: Vox Efx)
California(08 of16)
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The state initially began conducting gay marriages on June 16, 2008. On November 5, 2008, however, California voters passed Proposition 8, which amended the state's constitution to declare marriage as only between a man and a woman.On June 26, 2013, by a 5-4 vote, the Supreme Court justices held in Hollingsworth v. Perry that the traditional marriage activists who put Proposition 8 on California ballots in 2008 did not have the constitutional authority, or standing, to defend the law in federal courts after the state refused to appeal its loss at trial, opening the door for marriages to resume in the state. (credit:AP)
Washington(09 of16)
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On February 13, 2012, Gov. Christine Gregoire (D) signed a law allowing same-sex marriage ceremonies to begin on June 7, 2012. The process was delayed by gay marriage opponents who gathered enough signatures to put the issue up to a state vote in November 2012.Gay marriage passed on November 7, 2012. The official determination for Washington did not come until one day after the election because of the state's mail-in voting system. (credit:AP)
Rhode Island(10 of16)
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Gay marriage came to Rhode Island when Governor Lincoln Chafee signed the marriage equality bill into law on May 2, 2013. (credit:AP)
Delaware(11 of16)
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Delaware obtained gay marriage when Governor Jack Markell signed the marriage equality bill it into law on May 7, 2013. (credit:Getty)
Minnesota(12 of16)
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Minnesota same-sex couples achieved marriage equality when Gov. Mark Dayton signed the legislation into law on May 14, 2013. (credit:AP)
New Jersey(13 of16)
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Newark Mayor Cory Booker began marrying same-sex couples at City Hall at 12:01 a.m. on Oct. 21, 2013. (credit:AP)
Hawaii(14 of16)
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Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie signed same-sex marriage into law on Nov. 13, 2013, making it the 15th state to pass such legislation.
Illinois(15 of16)
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Illinois became the 16th state to legalize gay marriage, with the House having passed the bill on Nov. 5. and Gov. Pat Quinn signing the legislation on Nov. 20. (credit:AP)
New Mexico(16 of16)
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On Dec. 19, the New Mexico Supreme Court unanimously ruled that same-sex marriage rights are protected under the Constitution. (credit:Robert Alexander via Getty Images)
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