We have just heard the exciting news that President Obama has made public his support for marriage equality. 

The President has traveled a road that many Americans have traveled in recent years. He understands that gay and lesbian couples have the same love and make the same commitment as all couples, and deserve the same recognition as full citizens.   

His journey has been guided by the work our community has done for decades - telling our stories, filing lawsuits, fighting ballot measures, and having conversations with our neighbors, families, co-workers and friends about our lives.

At GLAD we remember filing our marriage equality lawsuits in Vermont, Massachusetts and Connecticut; we remember our profound emotions when Massachusetts became the first place in the nation where gay people could marry; we remember filing our DOMA lawsuits in Massachusetts and Connecticut.

Our country's history is one of expanding the circle of constitutional rights and protections to include more citizens, and our nation is always the better for it. We are proud to play a role in expanding the circle.

It remains to be seen what the President's statement will mean for our causes generally, and for our DOMA lawsuits in particular.

But for today, we celebrate your work and ours and the expanding American circle of equality.

Sincerely,

Lee Swislow 

Executive Director