On May 17, 2004, history was made when Massachusetts broke new ground as the first state in the United States to begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Before this groundbreaking moment, every same-sex couple across the nation faced the same reality: they were shut out from the institution of marriage and all the benefits that came with it — from tax advantages and legal protections to property rights and personal benefits. It was a day that represented a profound leap forward for the dignity and equality of the LGBTQ+ community.
The path to this milestone traced back to a pivotal legal battle called Goodridge v. Department of Public Health. It began in 2001, when seven same-sex couples sought marriage licenses and were turned away. Their argument was straightforward: denying them the right to marry violated the Massachusetts Constitution. Then, on November 18, 2003, the courts delivered a landmark ruling that changed everything — same-sex couples could no longer be legally barred from marriage. With that, Massachusetts earned its place in history not only as the first U.S. state to legalize same-sex marriage but also as the sixth jurisdiction worldwide to take this step, joining the Netherlands, Belgium, Ontario, British Columbia, and Quebec.
The momentum didn't stop there. Connecticut followed suit in 2008 as the second state to legalize same-sex marriage, with Iowa close behind in 2009 — both accomplishing this through the courts. In the years ahead, Maine, Maryland, and Washington joined the growing list as well, though their path was different: voters in those states approved same-sex marriage through ballot initiatives. The ultimate turning point arrived in 2015, when the Supreme Court ruled in Obergefell v. Hodges that same-sex marriage was legal at the federal level, extending the right nationwide. Today, every individual in the United States — regardless of sex or gender — can marry legally and access all associated benefits.