As is only reasonable given the fact that we’ve been denied access to it for all but the last decade of our nation’s history, “the institution of marriage” has come to mean something unique and unprecedented to the gay community.

Autostraddle will be “live-blogging” election happenings coming in from Maine (voting on Question 1, could reverse law permitting same-sex marriage) and Washington (voting on Referendum 71 which would permit “everything but” marriage for Washington same-sex couples). And you know, whatever else happens. Hopefully no-one will get hurt this time.

I think it might be wedding season.

In one of the most surprisingly gay-unfriendly states in the U.S., same-sex couples still can’t adopt children together. Here’s how two Hazel Park nurses are trying to change that.

Marriage equality bills make progress from the UK House of Commons to the Rhode Island state legislature.

A day of many feelings. We laughed, we cried, we asked “is this really happening?” incredulously, and the world spun madly on. Welcome to Day Five of the Prop 8 Same-Sex Marriage Trial Recap: Judgment DAZE.

Familia es Familia, unless you’re in the Salvation Army. Or Louisiana.

David Cameron says yay, the church says nay, Parliament has the final say.

President Obama announced he supports same-sex marriage, and then what happened?

The Republican party may have quietly begun the process of waving the white flag on gay marriage.

NOM’s shocking internal documents have been made public, includes gems like: “The strategic goal of this project is to drive a wedge between gays and blacks—two key Democratic constituencies.”

An unlikely story brought to you by the haters at Center for Marriage Policy.

Once again, no vote. They could just argue forever. Or turn off facebook comments, or warn of an AIDS epidemic. All of these ideas are totally reasonable reactions to a thing.

With today’s letter from a bunch of wealthy businessmen, New York is closer to legalizing same-sex marriage than ever. Meanwhile in California, Prop 8 activists are still yelling about Judge Walker being gay.

Autostraddle’s Legal Eagle is back to explain gender discrimination under the Equal Protection Clause, fundamental rights under the Due Process Clause, and HOW WE WIN THIS, Y’ALL. Is helping you understand the Prop 8 trial one of the best things we’ve done since the “Hot Girls in Menswear” gallery? YES.

A fish you’ll wish you could snuggle, gay taxis and gay streetlights, Hillary Clinton’s heartfelt letter to the couple from her heartwarming campaign announcement, a prominent voice in Irish media comes out and doesn’t give a f*ck about her damn reputation, Brittney Griner and Glory Johnson tie the knot, the Church of Scotland opens doors for queers, and Harriet Tubman might be the new face of the $20 bill. How’s them apples?

But is this really all that big of a shift?

“Is opposition to gay marriage by itself proof of bigotry? No. But is far too much of the opposition largely fueled by prejudice? Yes.”

On November 4th, big elections are gonna go down in Washington and Maine. Where do the polls stand and what’s at stake? Also; the NFL has a homophobe and the MLB has a gay winner,

The United States Supreme Court’s decision to strike down the Defense of Marriage Act and to return the Prop 8 case to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals are already starting to ripple through other marriage-related cases, making them easier to win or even just easier to exist.