EDGE Miami

With Governor Lincoln Chafee’s signature, Rhode Island became the tenth state in the nation to pass marriage equality legislation, allowing same-sex couples to wed.

Hundreds of supporters and opponents appeared before the Rhode Island Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday, Mar. 21 to weigh in on a marriage equality bill.

It has been more than a year since Washington legalized same-sex unions, with marriages beginning this December, but early data already shows that the legislation has boosted the local economy.

A gay couple’s attempt to get a new driver’s license became a civil rights issue when a Tallahassee DMV office’s hostility and homophobia led to ACLU involvement, and an eventual policy rewrite to make sure this won’t happen again.

Florida State Senator Eleanor Sobel filed recent legislation to offer important legal protections to same-sex couples. Unfortunately, the fight is nowhere near over.

State Sen. Ed Murray, who led the referendum campaign to legalize gay marriage, has announced plans to marry his longtime partner, Michael Shiosaki on August 10, four days after the August 6 primary election, where Murray is campaigning for Seattle mayor.

For the first time ever, a Rhode Island General Assembly voted to send a marriage equality bill, sponsored by Rep. Arthur Handy, to the floor.

Washington State passed marriage equality, and began holding ceremonies on Dec. 9. But Thurston County Superior Court Judge Gary Tabor said he will not marry same-sex couples, citing that he is uncomfortable and unavailable.

The Supreme Court has agreed to review DOMA and California’s Prop 8, and gay rights activists could not be more excited about the opportunity to secure equal rights for LGBT couples.

Seeing a need for wedding bands suited for gay couples, longtime New York couple Jonathan Tack and Sam Street founded Proposition Love, an online jewelry store championing marriage equality.