The march towards equality continues

Today was another great day in the fight for human rights and equality for GLBT people. Marriage equality for same-sex couples moved forward in three localities.

In Washington, DC the city council voted 12-1 to recognize same-sex marriages performed out of state potentially setting up the issue for a vote in Congress. The Mayor, Adrian Fenty has said he will sign it.


In Maine marriage equality easily passed the Maine House with some very conservative members in support.

In New Hampshire the State House Judiciary Committee approved the State Senate's marriage equality bill.

Tomorrow the full New Hampshire State House and Maine State Senate will vote on marriage equality. Both bodies have recently passed marriage equality legislation but need to vote for it again beacuse the other chamber has amended the legislation. Then it will go on to two Democratic governors: Maine's John Baldacci and New Hampshire's John Lynch. Both have expressed opposition to marriage equality in the past but have not said they will veto marriage equality if it comes to their desks. I remain hopefully that both will stand on the right side of history but any phone calls to them from in state residents will be very important in getting them to sign the bills.

Even less then 5 years this kind of stuff would have been unthinkable. The Democratic presidential nominee was campaigning in favor of anti-marriage equality constitutional amendments in Missouri and other states and only Massachusetts allowed same-sex marriages. Now four states have marriage equality with Maine and New Hampshire possibly being added to that list within a week. If Jon Corzine wins re-election in 2009 New Jersey will pass marriage equality, additionally New York, California, DC, Minnesota, Washington State and maybe Rhode Island have active efforts underway to win marriage equality. I think it's quite possible that all of those states and potentially more will legalize marriage equality for same sex couples in the next two years or so, if we work hard enough.

The march towards equality continues!