Massachusetts
On November 18, 2003, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled in Goodridge v. Department of Public Health that there is no rational basis under the law to deny a marriage license to same-sex couples. On May 17, 2004, marriage licenses began to be issued to same-sex couples in Massachusetts. In June 2007, the Massachusetts Legislature defeated the discriminatory, anti-gay, anti-marriage Constitutional amendment. The final 151 to 45 vote was a strong legislative victory for marriage equality. And finally, in July 2008, the Massachusetts Legislature, along with a signature from Gov. Deval Patrick signed a law that upholds marriage equality for same-sex couples from outside of Massachusetts to get married in MA. Both houses of the state legislature overwhelmingly voted in favor of the law, which repealed a discriminatory law from 1913 that had blocked such marriages. "The 1913 law is outdated and discriminatory; repealing it is the right thing to do," Patrick said in a statement.
Status: Marriage
Groups Actively Working on Marriage
MassEquality: a coalition of local and national organizations defending equal marriage rights for same-sex couples in Massachusetts
Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders: New England's leading legal rights organization dedicated to ending discrimination based on sexual orientation, HIV status and gender identity and expression
Blog Posts Related to Massachusetts
Rev. John Buehrens—A Prophetic Calling
Rev. John Buehrens, a Unitarian Universalist minister, speaks about why the freedom to marry matters to him.
City of Cambridge Pays Stipends to Married Same-sex Spouses to Offset Unfair Tax
The city of Cambridge has decided to pay a stipend to public employees with same-sex spouse to cover the additional tax such employees are saddled with if they cover their spouse under their employer-provided health insurance. Cambridge is the first municipality in the country to attempt to offset this additional, unjust tax placed on same-sex couples because of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act.
Seven Years Ago
Our National Campaign Director Marc Solomon reflects on the historic day seven years ago that the first gay and lesbian couples married in Massachusetts.
Resources Related to Massachusetts
Southern Poverty Law Center: 18 Anti-Gay Groups and Their Propaganda
The Southern Poverty Law Center provides a detailed listing of anti-gay groups know for their dangerous propaganda aimed at lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
Party Principles: Support for the Freedom to Marry by State and National Political Parties
A listing of both state and national political parties that have made strong statements in support of the freedom to marry.
FAQ on the Federal District Court’s Rulings Overturning DOMA Section 3
FAQ from GLAD on the recent rulings in the Federal District Court of Massachusetts striking down DOMA Section 3.