To the community,

Yesterday was a momentous day, not only for LGBT Americans, but for all beings who hold the vision of justice and equality for our country.

Today we celebrate the Supreme Court and its defeat of the discriminatory and misnamed Defense of Marriage Act. We celebrate the return of marriage equality rights in the state of California.

Thank you to all the justices who sided with fairness on this issue. This decision has been a long time coming and we have worked hard to make it happen. Those of us, LGBT and our “straight” allies, should feel proud of the work we have done these many years and decades. We have made history. LGBT civil rights join the ranks of those won by women, by racial minorities, and by people with disabilities.

This great country of ours has never been better than when we live by our own motto, “Liberty and justice for all”.

As a community, LGBT rights have slowly evolved for decades, with the gradual overturning of sodomy laws, adoption laws, and the protections of hate crime legislation, fair housing, and job protection just to name a few examples. We still have much work to do, as too many states still do not have these rights and protections. Almost 75 percent of America’s states still do not recognize same gender marriage, despite Wednesday’s Supreme Court ruling.

We have every reason to feel gratified, but we should not be satisfied until full equality, in all aspects of life, is the law across this great country, with no exceptions. But, for today, let’s take time to celebrate and dance and sing and shout out the joy that we feel. Tomorrow, we can roll up our sleeves and get back to work with the huge momentum we have gained.

Today my heart is very full. When I heard the Supreme Court announcement I turned to my beloved Heide and told her, “I have been waiting for this moment all of my adult life”; the right to legally marry the person I love and have committed my life to. I am going to propose to Heide and say those words I have been longing to say to her for 14 years, “Will you marry me?”

Janice Eastburn, South Lake Tahoe

(Note: Heide said yes.)