Stuart Gaffney and John Lewis have been deeply involved in the struggle to legalize same-sex marriage. They were two of the plaintiffs in the historic 2008 lawsuit that held California’s ban on same-sex marriage violated the state constitution. They have been together for 26 years and married in 2008 before Prop 8 passed. Both work at Marriage Equality USA: Gaffney is the media director, and Lewis is the legal director. In addition, Gaffney reflects on the legal challenges surrounding his parents’ marriage -- his mother is Chinese American, and his father is white. In 1948, the California Supreme Court legalized interracial marriage, but other states did not recognize their marriage.

John Lewis: "Well, I was very impressed and encouraged by the way he[Justice Anthony Kennedy] talked about the real lives of those 40,000 children of same-sex couples. I think that the evidence is actually quite clear that lesbian and gay people are doing wonderful jobs raising kids. There’s actually a tremendous amount of study having been devoted to the issue. There’s decades of experience. Last week, the American Academy of Pediatricians came out in favor of marriage equality, and that’s a very, very strong endorsement of how having the freedom to marry for a family is actually very beneficial to those children."

A full transcript of Gaffney and Lewis' exchange with Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! is available here.

The Rhode Island Senate Judiciary Committee held hearings Thursday evening on a bill that would make marriage equality the law of the land in Rhode Island, bringing the state into line with the rest of New England. The hearings lasted until 5:00 am, and many advocates and opponents gave testimony. But the person who stole the show was a sixth-grader.

Matthew Lannon, a 12-year-old who has two moms gave a powerful voice to America's youth in his testimony before the committee, delivering the most clear and concise case for marriage equality you could ask for from anyone, at any age. Here's a snippet:

"If there's one thing you don't mess with in life, it's love. My parents and all the other gay and lesbian people here want to be happy, just like you. All they want is to be treated fairly. But unlike most of you, they have to come again here year after year and explain over and over why their love is equal to yours. This year, you have the opportunity to change that. I say, choose love."

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, considered a top Democratic contender for the 2016 presidential race, formally announced her support for same-sex marriage in a statement today, a move that was widely anticipated after she stepped down from the Obama administration.

In her announcement, which she made directly in a video with the Human Rights Campaign, Clinton argues that gays and lesbians are "full and equal citizens and deserve the rights of citizenship."

"That includes marriage," she said in the video. "That's why I support marriage for lesbian and gay couples. I support it personally and as a matter of policy and law."

Clinton follows a number of Democrats -- including President Obama, her husband and former President Bill Clinton, and Vice President Joe Biden -- as well as more recently, Republican Senator Rob Portman, (R-Ohio), in formally endorsing same-sex marriage.

Clinton has long supported civil unions between same-sex couples, and supported the 2011 law that legalized same-sex marriage in New York State. But she cited her experiences traveling the globe as secretary of state, as well as her own daughter's wedding a few years ago, as key to her process.

"Like so many others my personal views have been shaped over time by people I have known and loved," she said. "To deny the opportunity [for marriage] to any of our daughters and sons solely on the basis of who they are and who they love is to deny them the chance to live up to their own god-given potential."

According to an ABC News-Washington Post survey released this afternoon, support for same-sex marriage has hit an all-time high, with 58 percent of Americans saying gays and lesbians should be able to legally marry.

“It’s a new day in the state of Illinois,” proclaimed Sen. Martin Sandoval before voting to legalize marriage equality for same-sex couples in the Prairie State. The state Senate approved the bill 34–21, and after a vote at the state House, which is held by the Democrats, the state should be on its way to becoming the nation’s 10th to grant equal rights to gay couples. Gov. Pat Quinn has pledged to sign the bill once it arrives on his desk.

Quinn, a supporter of marriage equality, applauded the Senate passage on Thursday, and pledged to sign the “historic” bill.

Thursday’s vote came two years after Illinois lawmakers approved civil unions, which provide legal recognition of a partnership between two people, regardless of gender. But same-sex marriage supporters called the designation “second class status.”

Once the bill is signed, Illinois will become the 10th state in the nation to extend marriage rights to same-sex couples.

[Warning: NSFW]

This is your Moment of Clarity #184: Obama, Akin, Warren, legitimate rape, marriage equality, marijuana, and more. By the end of this four minutes, you will know everything you need to about what happened last night in election 2012.

Keep fighting,

-Lee

A 10-year-old girl, Sophia Bailey Klugh, wrote to President Barack Obama recently to praise him for his stance on marriage equality, and to ask his advice about what she should do when teased at school because she had two dads.

What a surprise that during the hectic final days of campaigning, the President took the time to respond to Sophia's letter, and share his advice on how to deal with teasing at school:

Dear Sophia,

Thank you for writing me such a thoughtful letter about your family. Reading it made me proud to be your president and even more hopeful about the future of our nation.

In America, no two families look the same. We celebrate this diversity. And we recognize that whether you have two dads or one mom what matters above all is the love we show one another. You are very fortunate to have two parents who care deeply for you. They are lucky to have such an exceptional daughter in you.

Our differences unite us. You and I are blessed to live in a country where we are born equal no matter what we look like on the outside, where we grow up, or who our parents are. A good rule is to treat others the way you hope they will treat you. Remind your friends at school about this rule if they say something that hurts your feelings.

Thanks again for taking the time to write me. I'm honored to have your support and inspired by your compassion. I'm sorry I couldn't make it to dinner, but I'll be sure to tell Sasha and Malia you say hello.

Sincerely,
Barack Obama

Does anyone have an extra tissue handy? *Sniff*

Thirty-eight states now elect their high court judges. Large sums of money — $200 million over the last decade, much of it secret and tied to partisan agendas — are pouring into these judicial campaigns. In Florida, Pennsylvania, and Iowa, for example, justices are being targeted by radical groups that abhor judicial independence and want the courts to reflect their political bias.

In Iowa, a state whose judicial system has been praised for its fairness and impartiality, the political and religious Right ousted three justices in 2010 over marriage equality, and is now trying to take down a fourth over the same issue. But this time a bipartisan coalition called Justice Not Politics is fighting back. Its co-founders – Democrat Sally Pederson and Republican Joy Corning, both of whom served Iowa for eight years as lieutenant governor — join Bill to talk about what’s at stake when justices are at the mercy of partisan passions and money in politics.

“What people would like to do is intimidate judges and make them understand that if they make a decision that’s counter to the interests of certain groups, that they’ll go after them,” Pederson tells Bill. “You know, we elect our legislators, we elect our president, governor. If we also have money and politics involved in our courts, then what is safe from just the opinions of the day?

Full transcript available here.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire want to hear what you’ve got to say. The two stars unveiled a campaign on Monday called Vote4Stuff. It urges voters to use social media to talk about what issues are most critical to them in the upcoming election.

A public service announcement went online Monday, asking: “What stuff is important to you?” Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jonah Hill, Zac Efron, Edward Norton and Ellen Degeneres — among others — also appear in the video.

Anyone interested can submit their own 30-second video about their biggest concerns going into the election. Then, selected videos — in addition to tweets, photos or posts directed at Vote4Stuff — will be incorporated into the campaign later in the month.

The PSA mentions several potential issues to talk about, including jobs, marriage equality, foreign policy, immigration and education. But DiCaprio and the team are encouraging people to be creative.

“Hey, knock us out and we’ll put (the video) in,” Norton says in the announcement.

What issues matter most to you in this election?