Over the past week, same-sex couples in Maryland and Maine were able to start wedding as voter-approved laws in both states took effect. Celebrations began in Maine on Saturday and in Maryland New Year’s Day. Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake officiated one of the first ceremonies just after midnight, calling the passed referendum “a remarkable achievement” for Maryland. Nine states and the District of Columbia now have full marriage equality.

Not all couples are rushing to get married, however. The Portland Press Herald notes that like opposite-sex couples, many same-sex couples are planning weddings where they can include their friends and family. One Maryland couple is even planning to invite strangers from Reddit to their April ceremony. Still, support was strong for couples who have already been waiting years to obtain legal recognition for their relationship, including a crowd singing “All You Need Is Love” outside the Portland City Hall and cheering on newlyweds early Saturday morning after midnight. This included Steven Bridges and Michael Snell, who were the first Maine couple to be married. Watch clips of their ceremony and the supportive crowd outside:

The Catholic Church’s “Marriage Unique for a Reason” page has posted a round-up of various bishops’ disappointed reactions to the marriage equality victories in Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, and Washington this week. The Church was one of the single biggest funders of the anti-equality campaigns and a partner in all four states. These reactions reveal how Church leaders continue to condemn homosexuality and ostracize same-sex families while simultaneously claiming not to discriminate. As Cardinal Dolan indicated this week, they remain committed to fighting equality moving forward:

Bishop Richard Malone (formerly of Portland, Maine): “I trust that those who voted for such a radical change did so out of concern for our brothers and sisters who struggle with same-sex attraction.”

Archibishop William Lori (Baltimore, Maryland): “[We need to] redouble our efforts to defend marriage, to preach about what marriage is, and to help people understand it as a unique relationship that does not discriminate against anyone, but is for the good of children and for the good of society.

Maryland Catholic Conference: “The ballot language they encountered masked the fact that this law does not simply assign civil benefits to gay and lesbian couples, but drastically dismantles in our state law the fundamental family unit of mother, father and child.”

Minnesota Catholic Conference: “Our position on the amendment was never ‘anti’ anyone, but ‘for’ marriage. We continue to emphasize that everyone, including those with same-sex attraction, must be treated with charity, dignity, and respect.”

Archdiocese of St. Paul/Minneapolis: “The Church’s public advocacy of support for the Minnesota Marriage Protection Amendment has always been rooted in our commitment to advance the common good for human society. [...] We will continue to work to strengthen marriage, and defend it against all forms of its weakening, for the good of all society.”

Archbishop J. Peter Sartain (Seattle, Washington): “I am disappointed that so many voters failed to recognize marriage between a man and a woman as the natural institution for the permanent, faithful covenant of love for a couple, for bringing children into the world, and for nurturing and educating those children. This change in civil law is not in the best interest of children or society.”

Though the Catholic Church strives to create a society where same-sex couples simply do not exist, they will increasingly have to co-exist with a nation that recognizes and welcomes these families into its communities.

Senator-elect Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)

In no uncertain terms, this year’s election was a sweeping mandate on LGBT equality. Forgotten is 2008′s bittersweet realization that though Barack Obama had won, California’s Proposition 8 had passed. Instead, this election’s returns show a new America poised to move forward and ensure that sexual orientation and gender identity are never barriers to freedom and security. Here’s a glimpse of just how sweeping the victory is for the LGBT community:

Maine

Maine’s voters have approved marriage equality with 53 percent in favor and 47 percent opposed, a complete reversal of the 2009 people’s veto of the very same law. Victory in Maine demonstrates the incredible power of personally connecting with voters, as advocates spent everyday since the 2009 loss canvassing to reach out. It is a significant milestone, because it is the first state to extend the freedom to marry entirely through a grassroots effort: voters brought forth a petition and then voters approved it. Conservatives cannot point to judges or lawmakers and somehow claim that the people did not have a say.

Maryland

Maryland also approved marriage equality by a 52-48 margin, proving that efforts to drive a wedge between the gay and black communities will not succeed. Like in Maine, the people had the opportunity to weigh in, and they weighed in on the side of equality and validating the legislature’s decision to pass same-sex marriage. This is also a significant win for Gov. Martin O’Malley (D), who championed this legislation all year long.

Washington [UPDATED]

UPDATE: As of Wednesday afternoon, victory has been officially declared in Washington for marriage equality!

This morning, Washington’s Referendum 74 is still too close to call, but with the votes coming in so far, it is leading 52-48. Given Washington’s victory in approving everything-but-marriage domestic partnerships in 2009, there is reason to be optimistic that its voters once again sided with equality.

Minnesota

Though Minnesota does not have marriage equality to embrace yet, the 51-48 defeat of its marriage inequality amendment is a significant victory. Opponents have boasted that in every state where voters have the chance to limit marriage to opposite-sex couples, they have done so, and Minnesota breaks that record. In addition, Democrats won control of both chambers of Minnesota’s legislature, ensuring that there will not be future attempts to enshrine discrimination in the constitution anytime soon.

LGBT Candidates

Yesterday was an historic victory for openly LGBT candidates, and the next Congress will break records for its significant out contingent. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) will become the first LGBT member of the Senate. Mark Pocan (D-WI) will fill her House seat, joined by fellow newcomer Sean Patrick Maloney (D) of New York. In addition, Reps. Jared Polis (D-CO) and David Cicilline (D-RI) won re-election. A projected winner remains to be called in the House races for Mark Takano (D-CA) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), but they are both leading in the polls so far and could add to the record-breaking LGBT caucus.

(UPDATE: Mark Tokano has declared victory.)

One out candidate who did not win was Massachusetts Republican Richard Tisei, though this does not necessarily represent a loss for the LGBT community. Incumbent victor John Tierney (D) is a dedicated ally to the LGBT community who does not bear the same risk of further empowering conservatives who would act against equality.
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Protect Marriage Maine, the official campaign against the state’s marriage equality ballot initiative, has posted an epic screed revealing many of its true motives. While the article cites many of the traditional lies and myths that equality opponents rely upon, one passage managed to sum up all the most offensive distortions about people who are gay. Relying on research from 1977, Edward Allebest calls gays “highly promiscuous,” “predatory,” and victims of rape or molestation who are defined only by their sexuality:

Homosexuality is highly promiscuous. To accept homosexuality as the social, moral, or religious equivalent of heterosexuality would constitute the first modern assault on the extremely hard-won, millennia-old battle for a family-based sexually monogamous society – precisely because the homosexual lifestyle is highly promiscuous. The basis of homosexuality is centered around anonymous sexual encounters. Long term relationships are very rare. [...]

As a result, serial homosexuality has as its most visible consequence AIDS, among various venereal diseases. But another social problem is that it is largely predatory. Part of the thrill, part of the challenge, is having sex with the inexperienced, the uninitiated, and to dare say that out loud, even though it is true, is to risk being called “intolerant”, “homophobic”, or worse. The dark secret of homosexual society is how many homosexuals first entered into that world through a disturbing seduction or rape or molestation or abuse, and how many of them yearn to get out of the homosexual community and live normally.

The acceptance of homosexuality as the equal of heterosexual marital love signifies the decline of Western civilization as surely as the rejection of homosexuality and other non-marital sex made the creation of this civilization possible. The overwhelming majority of US citizens and parents do not want the government to endorse and promote a homosexual lifestyle, with bizarre and promiscuous behaviors, and many negative outcomes — particularly to innocent children.

That’s what those opposed to marriage equality believe: gays and lesbians are wicked, predatory, condemned by God, a threat to children, and they will bring about the destruction of society. The fact that same-sex couples want to commit to each other monogamously, protect each other through the end of their lives, and raise children together doesn’t seem to factor in at all.