As 2011 draws near and the campaign for equality intensifies, there looms the question of marriage equality and where we should look next.

The Advocate’s speculations: New York, Maryland and Rhode Island are the most likely states to legally adopt marriage equality.

“If some of the federal cases do wind up getting to the court in 2012, one of the main things we can all do to help shape good results in the Supreme Court down the road is to have more wins in 2011 in places like New York,” said Evan Wolfson, executive director of Freedom to Marry, one of many groups working on lobbying and public education campaigns in the state. “Everyone has a stake in winning.”

Check out the Advocate.com article linked above for an in-depth breakdown of the political climate and potential stakeholders in the states where marriage equality is likely. If one of these states is yours, get pumped.

A new year will bring new challenges and new successes, and fighting for marriage equality could prove to be both. Speculating about where this is likely early on could help us to secure a victory later.