Ruth Bader Ginsburg: US is Ready for Gay Marriage

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg said that she thinks America is ready to accept same-sex marriage in all 50 states and that there wouldn't be a backlash from those who believe marriage should be a union between one man and one woman, Bloomberg News reports.

"I think it's doubtful that it wouldn't be accepted," Ginsburg said in an interview with Bloomberg this week. "The change in people's attitudes on that issue has been enormous."

As Time magazine points out 72 percent of Americans live in the 37 states (and Washington, D.C.) where same-sex couples can legally tie the knot. This summer, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments and will decide if the rest of the U.S. should recognize gay marriage.

"I think that as more and more people came out and said 'This is who I am,' the rest of us recognized that they are one of us," Ginsburg said. "We discovered it's our next-door neighbor; we're very fond of them. Or it's our child's best friend or even our child."

Earlier this month, the Associated Press released new data that found the majority Americans favor same-sex couples to legally marry. But the same poll found that about half the country also thinks local officials and judges with religious objections should be allowed to be exempt from any requirement that they issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

This story is part of our special report: "Gay Marriage". Want to read more? Here's the full list.