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Same-Sex Couple Applies for Marriage License
"On May 18, 1970, two University of Minnesota students, Richard John 'Jack' Baker and James Michael McConnell applied to Hennepin County District Court clerk Gerald Nelson for a marriage license. He denied the application, because the applicants both were men.
Baker and McConnell sued Nelson, claiming Minnesota law on marriage made no mention of gender. The trial court was not impressed with the argument, agreeing with Nelson. The state Supreme Court agreed with the lower court." -
Maryland Bans Same-Sex Marriage
"Maryland becomes the first state to pass a statute banning marriage between same-sex couples when it includes in its Family Law Code a line reading, 'Only a marriage between a man and a woman is valid in this State.'" -
Non-Church Sanctioned Gay Wedding Makes News
"Reporters wrote about what Fortunato and Schwandt called a holy union, which was controversial not because there was talk of legalizing gay marriage but because the two men publicly ask for -- and were denied -- the blessing of the Episcopal Church." -
'Spousal' Rights of Same-Sex Couples Becomes an Issue
"Karen Thompson's eight year struggle for legal guardianship of her lover Sharon Kowalski, begins when a drunk driver collides with Sharon's vehicle, placing her in a coma for several months and leaving her quadriplegic and severely brain-damaged. Despite Sharon's wishes to be cared for by Karen, Sharon's parents refused Karen full access or input into her care. Karen Thompson became a key spokesperson for lesbian and gay couples' rights. Karen's case was won in 1991." -
Nation's First Domestic Partnership Law Passed
"It took five years of lobbying by a stalwart city employee before the city of Berkeley [CA] enacted the nation's first domestic partnership ordinance in 1984. At the outset only city employees could register, and the program offered only dental insurance coverage and leave benefits to city employees, but within a year Berkeley began including medical insurance benefits as well." -
Oct. 10, 1987 - First Mass Same-Sex Wedding Ceremony
"On October 10, 1987, nearly 7,000 people witnessed a wedding on the National Mall in Washington, DC. Men and women cheered and threw rice and confetti as family, friends, and community members took part in the largest mass wedding in American history...
But this was no ordinary wedding. And these were not typical brides and grooms. This wedding held special significance for its participants. The two paired off as bride and bride." -
Court Rulings Define Same-Sex Couples as Families
"NY State Court of Appeals declares that a lesbian or gay couple living together for a least ten years can be considered a family for purposes of rent control protection, the first time a state's highest court rules that a gay couple can be called a family...
The California Bar Association urges that lesbian and gay marriage be legally recognized and in Seattle, San Francisco and other cities, 'partners' regulations extending certain protections and rights to unmarried couples, straight and -
Same-Sex Employees Begin to Receive Domestic Partner Benefits
"Domestic partners of employees of Levi Strauss & Co. are granted full medical benefits."
"The province of Ontario, Canada, extends spousal benefits to same sex partners of government workers."
"William Weld, governor of Massachusetts signs an executive order granting lesbian and gay state workers the same bereavement and family leave rights as heterosexual workers." -
Nevada Voters Approve Constitutional Ban on Same-Sex Marriage
"Nevada voters give final approval to a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. Voters first approved the ban in 2000, but state law requires a majority vote in two consecutive election years to amend the constitution." -
Judge Rules California Same-Sex Marriage Ban Is Unconstitutional
"A judge ruled today [Mar. 14, 2005] that California can no longer justify limiting marriage to a man and a woman, a legal milestone that if upheld on appeal would pave the way for the nation's most populous state to follow Massachusetts in allowing same-sex couples to wed...
'The state's protracted denial of equal protection cannot be justified simply because such constitutional violation has become traditional,' Kramer wrote." -
House Rejects Constitutional Amendment to Ban Gay Marriage
"The House on Tuesday rejected a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, ending for another year a congressional debate that supporters of the ban hope will still reverberate in this fall's election.
The 236-187 vote for the proposal to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman was 47 short of the two-thirds majority needed to advance a constitutional amendment." -
New Hampshire Legalizes Same-Sex Marriages
"Lynch promptly signed the legislation, making the state the sixth to let gay couples wed.
The bill had been through several permutations to satisfy Mr. Lynch and certain legislators that it would not force religious organizations that oppose same-sex marriage to participate in ceremonies celebrating it. Some groups had feared they could be sued for refusing to allow same-sex weddings on their property." -
President Barack Obama Supports Dianne Feinstein's Bill to Repeal Defense of Marriage Act
"The Obama administration announced Tuesday that it will support a congressional effort to repeal a federal law that defines marriage as a legal union between a man and woman.
White House spokesman Jay Carney denounced the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), saying the administration will back a bill introduced this year by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) to remove the law from the books" -
New Jersey Becomes 14th State to Legalize Gay Marriage
"A New Jersey judge ruled on Friday [Sep. 27, 2013] that the state must allow same-sex couples to marry, finding that failing to do so deprives them of rights that are now guaranteed by the federal government following a ruling by the Supreme Court in June." -
US Supreme Court Halts Gay Marriages in Utah
"The Supreme Court on Monday [Jan. 6, 2014] blocked further same-sex marriages in Utah while state officials appeal a decision allowing such unions. The terse order, from the full court, issued a stay 'pending final disposition' of an appeal to the federal appeals court in Denver. It offered no reasoning."
