Stories

Freedom to Marry interviewed and featured the stories of hundreds of same-sex couples from every single state in the campaign to win marriage nationwide. Through these stories, we were able to demonstrate the urgent, tangible need for the freedom to marry and demonstrate the broad diversity of Americans impacted by this discrimination, allowing every demographic of American to connect with the fight for marriage.

  • Why Marriage Matters: Our 29-Year Partnership

    Jo Deutsch & Teresa Williams • Cheverly, MD

    For Jo and Teresa, who have been together for 29 years, the freedom to marry in Maryland really does matter. Beyond the necessary protections that marriage would provide, they know that Maryland is their home. "It's significant that our children were born here," Teresa said. "It's significant that this is where we've made our home. We are part of this community and we want to be treated equally here."

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  • New Fathers Marry in New York After 11 Years

    George Constantinous & Farid Ali Lancheros • New York, NY

    After working hard on the campaign to pass the freedom to marry in New York last summer, when they contributed their story to Freedom to Marry's video series on why marriage matters to New Yorkers, George and Farid were excited and relieved to finally marry and have their relationship formally respected by the state.

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  • How DOMA Blocks This Couple’s Love, Education, and Life Together

    Juka Mendes & Jonathan Malumay • Vacaville, CA

    When Juka Mendes moved to the US on a student visa, he never expected to fall in love. But he did, and got married to Air Force member Jonathan Malumay. Now, Juka can no longer afford his education, and in April his visa expires. As a service member, Jonathan is eligible for an education grant that he should be able to transfer to his husband, but because DOMA does not respect his marriage, he cannot do so.

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  • A Mother ‘Comes Out’ with Her Daughter’s Wedding Photo

    Mignon Moore & Elaine Harvey • California

    Earlier this summer, Mignon Moore exchanged vows with her long-time partner, Elaine Harley, in a beautiful wedding ceremony in Los Cabos, Mexico.

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  • A Toast To Love, Commitment, and Time

    Terry Goldman & Doug Behl • New York, NY

    When Terry Goldman and Doug Behl planned their wedding for August 4, 2012 in New York City, they knew they were taking a risk with the weather.

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  • Sister of Utah Couple: Faith, Family and the Freedom to Marry

    Shana Elmer • Spanish Fork, UT

    "It didn't bother me that Dustin was gay," Shana said. "What bothered me was that as far as I knew, if you were gay you weren't going to Heaven. So I saw that Dustin was still who he had always been. I came to that realization: If it's not Heaven without Dustin, then Dustin will be in Heaven. He'll be there."

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  • ‘Found by Companion’

    Steven Rains & Don Condit • Fort Worth, TX

    Just over a year ago, on September 3, 2013, the United States Department of Defense started officially recognizing legal marriages between same-sex couples and began issuing military IDs to same-sex spouses of U.S. veterans and service-members.

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  • Iraq Veterans Build Lives in Tennessee

    Anthony Wilfert & Brian Blas • Nolensville, TN

    In May 2005, as they prepared to leave Fort Campbell military base in Kentucky for a year-long deployment in Iraq with the 101st Airborne Division, Brian Blas and Anthony Wilfert knew that they wanted to so something for each other to make the long distance seem easier.

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  • Military Couple Brings Both Families Together for Beautiful Wedding

    Jonathan Franqui & Dwayne D. Beebe • Nashville, TN

    This weekend, on Saturday, March 30, Jonathan Franqui and Navy Senior Chief Dwayne D. Beebe hosted their wedding ceremony among all of their loved ones at Old Christ Church in Pensacola, Florida.

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  • Celebrating Victories, Working Toward More

    Satyam Barakoti & Tonja Holder • Atlanta, GA

    On the morning of June 26, 2013, Satyam and Tonja sat at their computers in Atlanta, Ga., Satyam at work and Tonja at home, anxiously updating SCOTUSBlog and wondering if this was the day their lives would change.

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