Marriage equality advocates have been facing tumultuous state-by-state battles across the country. Throughout this rollercoaster fight for basic civil rights, one thing has not changed: there are more than 750,000 same-sex couples living in the United States, according to the 2000 U.S. Census.

Across the country, grassroots gay rights organizations work to educate legislators and voters on the necessity of marriage equality. Often, census data is used to give context and an extra push for marriage equality. Higher numbers will provide a stronger argument. Monday, hundreds of constituent lobbyists came together to ask the New Jersey legislature to pass full marriage equality.

Weeks ago, both Democrat-controlled houses of the state Legislature intended to pass a marriage-equality bill that would be signed into law by Gov. Jon S. Corzine. After the incumbent’s loss to Republican Chris Christie, hopes of a bill seem dashed. Christie has said he will veto any gay marriage bill and some Democratic lawmakers are hesitant in their support, according to the New York Times.

“If the Democrats don’t enact marriage equality now, after years of telling us to wait, it will cause a huge schism between the state Democratic Party and not just the gay community, but the entire progressive base,” Steven Goldstein, head of Garden State Equality, told the New York Times.

This statement is not only pertinent to New Jersey, but across the country in states like New York, Maine and the District of Columbia.

Last week, New York’s highest court upheld recognition of same sex marriages performed in other states. In a 4-3 decision, the Court of Appeals “rejected a Christian legal group’s argument that same-sex marriage was akin to incest and polygamy, although the court avoided declaring that gay couples are entitled to all the rights of other married couples,” according to the Associated Press. This is a step forward for a state like New Jersey, which has been wavering regarding same-sex marriage legislation.

Proponents were equally victorious in the Nation’s capital last week when the D.C. Board of Elections rejected Stand4MarriageDC’s 2010 ballot initiative defining marriage as only between a man and a woman. This decision means “the D.C. Council can move forward with its plans to vote on a bill next month to legalize same-sex marriage. The council [last] Tuesday scheduled a vote for Dec. 1,” according to the Washington Post. However, there is still an uphill battle against the Catholic Archdiocese of Washington, which threatens to end its social services programs if the council legalizes same-sex marriage.

D.C. has the largest percentage of same-sex couples in the nation, where 1.5 percent of all households comprise same-sex couples. This is more than double the percentage of any other state, according to Our Families Count.

Between 1 million and 9 million children are being raised by LGBT parents, with the highest percentage raising children living in the South. Nearly one in four same-sex couples includes a partner who is at leas 55-years-old, according to the 2000 U.S. Census.

Lawmakers deny adoption rights, hospital visitation, social security benefits, immigration and health insurance benefits to LGBT people while granting them to married straight couples. These figures provide a compelling story for marriage equality.

Every 10 years, the U.S. Census Bureau conducts a count of all Americans and households, including LGBT people and their families. In March, the 2010 census will be mailed out. The Bureau announced it will release counts of spouses, as well as same-sex unmarried partners. This provides an unparalleled opportunity for visibility, making it critically important that everyone participate and answer truthfully.

The data is used to enforce civil rights laws including employment, housing, voting, and education. Figures are also critical in the fight for marriage equality. For more information on the 2010 census and LGBT issues in both English and Spanish visit www.OurFamiliesCount.org. For more information from the U.S. Census Bureau visit www.2010census.gov.

Participating in the census, sharing your story with friends and family and writing a letter to your representative are easy ways to take action in the fight for marriage equality.