Berkeley, CA – Tuesday, November 4, 2008 was a bittersweet evening for me. The sweetness came first, as I was driving my daughter home from a play rehearsal when I heard that Barack Obama had won the election for President of the United States. Later that evening the feeling faded as I watched the news showing that California Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriage, was heading towards a narrow victory.

The lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community has had an important victory! On May 17, Massachusetts performed the first legal civil marriages of same-sex couples in the country. In November 2003, the Massachusetts State Supreme Court ruled that the state’s ban on same sex marriages was illegal. It ordered that such marriages be legalized within six months. As queers and allies celebrate the victory in Massachusetts, it is important to reflect on where the movement has been and where it should go.

San Francisco, CA – Over the Valentine’s Day weekend, thousands of lesbians and gays, along with their children, friends and families, lined up in front of City Hall in San Francisco to marry. Outside, married couples and well-wishers celebrated, while inside hundreds of volunteers helped with paperwork. By the end of the weekend, nearly two thousand same sex couples had been married.

Minneapolis, MN - At the annual Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) Pride festival here, there was a unique marriage of causes: The struggle against war in Iraq tied the knot with the struggle for civil rights for the GLBT community at home. In a creative act of solidarity, the Anti-War Committee marched under the banner, “I do say no to war!” and offered same-sex couples the chance to ‘Commit to Peace’ and each other, in a ceremony led by an ordained minister.

Minneapolis, MN – Thousands gathered in Minneapolis, June 23-24, celebrating Twin Cities Pride, an annual two-day festival for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBTQ) community and their allies. The Anti-War Committee participated by staffing a table and marching in the parade under the banner “Out now: Queers out of the closet, U.S. out of Iraq!” The Anti-War Committee has always sought to make connections between the people’s struggles and Pride 2007 was no exception. Like the GLBT community, the Iraqi people are engaged in a struggle for liberation. Though their circumstances differ widely, queer people have at least two things in common with Iraqis: The oppression of both groups is used by politicians to divide people and both groups are expected to wait for recognition of their rights.

Anti-queer discrimination received a heavy blow when the Iowa Supreme Court legalized gay marriage April 3. Four days later the Vermont state legislature overrode their governor’s veto and became the first non-judicial body to legalize same-sex marriage. Lesbian gay bisexual transgender (LGBT) people around the country were ecstatic about this one-two punch, but even more reason for celebration followed. On May 6, the governor of Maine reversed his previous opposition to gay marriage and signed a bill legalizing it. By doing this, these three states joined Massachusetts and Connecticut in granting gays and lesbians legal recognition of their partnerships.