New York?s highest court dealt a blow to same-sex marriage Thursday, dashing the hopes of some Bronx couples that hoped to make their unions legal.

The New York Court of Appeals ruled 4-2 that the state?s law allowing marriage only between a man and woman is constitutional. The decision came two years after gay and lesbian couples, gay rights groups and activists sued for the right to marry. They hoped they would gain a victory in liberal New York, but Massachusetts remains the only U.S. state where same-sex marriage is legal.

Many homosexual Bronx couples argue they pay taxes, obey the law, work and contribute to society like other New Yorkers. They believe they are entitled to the same benefits and rights as heterosexuals.