Progress

It's nice when our society scores against the forces of intolerance, isn't it?

That's Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin, who have been in a loving, committed relationship for 50 years. They were the first to marry when San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom challenged the old-fashioned restrictions on same-sex marriage. That challenge led to the litigation that ultimately led to the legalization of love in the Golden State. And now, their marriage is for real.

Michael D:

Lyon and Martin will now be able to inherit from each other, have hospital visitation rights, and share in the many of the same things straight couples do (with the exception of federal benefits.) What won’t change is the state of your marriage. You and your husband or wife will still be able to love each other, raise your kids, file a joint tax return, and all the things you’ve been doing together for years. And if all that comes crashing down around Tony Perkins and Jim Dobson because Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin got married yesterday, they may feel the urge to scapegoat them. If allowing gays to marry is going to affect their marriages, then they probably just have a shitty marriage to begin with.