Like millions of Americans, I was able to see the absolute joy experienced by hundreds of gay and lesbian couples who are now able to legally marry in Washington, D.C. I wept when I saw television reports of couples who have been together, some for decades, finally able to share in the joy and happiness afforded automatically to their straight brothers and sisters.

Hooray for the Washington, D.C. City Council and Mayor Fenty for allowing all its residents full equality under the law just like our founding fathers intended.

As Maryland’s Attorney General bucks marriage equality opponents with the release of a legal opinion to recognize “out-of-state” same-sex marriage licenses and our nation’s capitol solemnizes its first same-sex marriages, new research published in late February illustrates the attitudes of “movable middle” voters around the issue of marriage equality and raises new questions about whether marriage is electorally achievable for gays and lesbians.

WASHINGTON - Gays and Lesbians are one step closer to saying "I do" in the District of Columbia and Lambda Legal wants to congratulate not only the leaders who put the law in place, but the residents who support it and will be able to take advantage of it.

Today is the first day that the new law, which expanded the definition of civil marriage to include gays and lesbians, will accept applications for a marriage license. There is a full 3 day wait period between application and issue, so no marriages will take place this week, but those submitting applications will be making history.

We woke up to some tremendous news Wednesday morning, as Maryland’s Attorney General Doug Gansler issued a legal opinion that Maryland could start recognizing marriages performed out of state, much like New York or California.