And Now There Are 10! Maryland Marriages Begin

Yesterday, on January 1, 2013 same-sex couples were able to get married in the state of Maryland, making it the 10th jurisdiction in the United States where civil marriages between same-sex couples is legal (9 states and the District of Columbia).

Maryland legalized the practice as a result of the passage of Question 6 during the November 2012 presidential election; Question 6 was a referendum on a marriage equality bill that had been passed and signed into law last Spring.

Maryland is significant because it is the first state below the Mason-Dixon line to enact marriage equality, and it is also the first marriage equality state with a significant African American population (nearly 30% of the state's population).

Congratulations, Maryland! Next up are Illinois and Rhode Island very very soon.