Everything is not dark on the gay marriage front; Dozens of gay and lesbian couples planned to wed in Connecticut on Wednesday after a judge cleared the way for the state to become the nation's second to allow same-sex marriage.

Reuters writes:

The weddings, the first since Connecticut's highest court struck down a gay-marriage ban on October 10, underscore a steady expansion of gay rights in the U.S. Northeast in sharp contrast to California's November 4 vote to ban same-sex marriages. That vote triggered protests by thousands in Los Angeles.

"We have heard from dozens of couples around Connecticut who plan to get marriage licenses today," said Anne Stanback, president of gay rights group Love Makes a Family. "We expect hundreds more to get their licenses in the coming weeks and thousands more as we enter 2009."

Connecticut's northern neighbor, Massachusetts, led the way by legalizing such marriages in 2003. Five of New England's six states now offer same-sex couples some form of legal recognition. Gay-rights advocates are hopeful New York, New Jersey and Maryland will legalize gay marriage.

Last update: 11-12-2008 13:08