Tanya McCloskey and Marcia Kadish exchanged their vows at Cambridge City Hall one early summer morning in Boston, after spending 20 years together. May 17, 2004 was a momentous day, not just for the two of them, but for the United States; that day, they became the first same-sex couple to be legally married in this country.
Back then, same-sex marriage was a deeply divisive issue in the United States. Even high-profile Democrats like former President Barack Obama were hesitant to share their support for same-sex marriage – although Obama did eventually become the first president to do so. Now, it has become a somewhat unifying issue, even within a divided government.
This week, the Senate is set to move forward with The Respect for Marriage Act (RMA) to codify same-sex and interracial marriages through federal protections. Dozens of Republicans have voted in support of the bill, including congressional leaders like Senator Thom Tillis who previously backed legislation that defined marriage as being between a man and a woman.
Read this story now for free
To continue reading, sign up for our newsletter and get unlimited access to WABE.org
You can select your preferences for news and local content. We will never share your email address. Learn how your newsletter sign-up will support WABE and Public Media
