St. Paul, MN – 5000 people rallied throughout the Minnesota State Capitol here, May 13, to make their voices heard for the historic senate vote to legalize same-sex marriages in the state. The capitol overflowed with the equality campaign’s orange and blue color scheme. Supporters of marriage equality outnumbered the opponents by at least 20 to one. The chant “Vote yes!” could be heard throughout the building.

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.