Today marks the one year anniversary of the California Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the ban on same-sex marriage that had been in place since 2000.

My partner and I were in Sydney on vacation at the time and didn’t realize it had happened until after we got home. And thanks to bad case of vacation hangover, and that we were already domestic partners, we didn’t feel particularly invested in the decision, I’m embarrassed to say.  Sure we were glad the ban had been overturned but we had already decided to wait until 2009 to possibly tie the knot, provided same-sex marriage was legal at the time and that any initiative against it was defeated in the fall.

Over the next month we didn’t discuss or think about the ruling much despite the media frenzy that was  building all around the state in the lead up to 5:oo p.m. on June 16, when the first same-sex weddings were to be performed.

I decided the day before that I wanted to go down to San Francisco City Hall and cover what would most certainly be a circus, as the first gay marriages were sure to bring out the most hateful and bigoted elements of our society, decrying that these marriages were an abomination and would bring about the end days.

After I covered the story, I promptly went home and asked my partner of 8 year to marry me. The weight of the day’s events, both historical and emotional, did not leave me any choice. Fortunately his answer was yes. We exchanged vows 3 months later.

So while not particularly important to us at the time,  May 15, 2008 is now an incredibly important day, as it set in motion the events that allowed me to marry the love of my life. And June 16, thirty days from now, will also be an extraordinarily significant day, not only because it was the day I proposed, but it is the first anniversary of those couples who chose to be  married in that “circus” the very first night.

So it is my sincere hope that the California Supreme Court will soon overturn Prop 8 and grant marriage equality to all Californians, and allow those brave couples to celebrate their first wedding anniversary. And allow us and the thousands that followed that day, to celebrate ours.

MSNBC’s David Shuster cuts loose after watching Donald Trump give Carrie Prejean a pass, allowing her to continue on as Miss California.

Yes, David, vomit at will…

This evening the New York State Assembly voted overwhelming for same-sex marriage 89-52.

Six Republicans crossed over to support the bill including Assemblymember Teresa Sayward, who spoke of her son before casting her vote. From Edge New York:

“The word marriage symbolizes love, commitment and family and why should my son and other sons and daughters around the state of New York [not] have the same opportunity to experience that same commitment, love and family that other heterosexual couples do,” Sayward said. “It’s time for us to not only reach in our hearts, but to do what we as elected officials in America have done all along and say we will not accept anything but equal rights.”

The bill will face a rocky road in the Senate where it will be difficult to muster the 32 votes necessary for passage. Sen. Ruben Diaz, Sr., [D-Bronx] is a vocal opponent in the bill, and is urging Hispanics and people of faith to protest May 17th against the measure.

In a press conference this morning Donald Trump, owner of Miss USA has decided to allow Carrie Prejean to continue as Miss California, despite newly-released partial nude photos and her continued publicity tour against same-sex marriage.

Let the backlash against Donald Trump begin…