On May 17, 2004, Massachusetts became the first state to make it legal for same-sex couples to marry. (CNN) Four years before that the state of Vermont gave the right of civil unions to gay couples. It followed a highly controversial decision from the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. (Robinson, B. A.) Hams and Shepherd became the first two people to fill out their paperwork. There was a couple that walked into the clerk's office carrying a sign that said "49 years together". The couple also had pictures of their children and grand-children. When a couple show love and devotion toward one another in the way that these two have, then they deserve to have the same rights and benefits as a traditional couple. The same-sex marriages that took place on May 17th mark a milestone in the gay rights movement, something that the gays have been working on for more than a decade. This is only a small step in the many strides gay people hope to take in the fight for equality. (Symonds, William C.) For millions of gay Americans, May 17, is a date they will never forget. They will have their marriage recognized, but when it comes to health insurance, Social Security, and other benefits, newly married gay couples will still not be treated as well as the
On May 17, 2004, Massachusetts became the first state to make it legal for same-sex couples to marry. (CNN) Four years before that the state of Vermont gave the right of civil unions to gay couples. It followed a highly controversial decision from the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. (Robinson, B. A.) Hams and Shepherd became the first two people to fill out their paperwork. There was a couple that walked into the clerk's office carrying a sign that said "49 years together". The couple also had pictures of their children and grand-children. When a couple show love and devotion toward one another in the way that these two have, then they deserve to have the same rights and benefits as a traditional couple. The same-sex marriages that took place on May 17th mark a milestone in the gay rights movement, something that the gays have been working on for more than a decade. This is only a small step in the many strides gay people hope to take in the fight for equality. (Symonds, William C.) For millions of gay Americans, May 17, is a date they will never forget. They will have their marriage recognized, but when it comes to health insurance, Social Security, and other benefits, newly married gay couples will still not be treated as well as the