Massachusetts

The first gay male couple to have their wedding featured in JET Magazine appeared on MSNBC Tuesday night to speak to host Thomas Roberts about the “exhilarating experience.”

New England values do include a lot of tradition. But that tradition comes from deeper values. Family. Community. Respect. Dignity. Freedom. Faith. Marriage strengthens families. Strong families strengthen communities. Strong communities endure. And nobody knows that better than we do.

Rep. Barney Frank on Saturday married his longtime partner Jim Ready, and became the first U.S. congressman to marry somebody of the same-sex. About 300 people, including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Sen. John Kerry, attended the ceremony in Newton, Mass.

Rep. Frank told the New York Times “It’s been a privilege to fight for the quality of people’s lives, but I’m ready to put a little more quality into my own life.”

After passing in both houses of the Massachusetts Legislature last week, today Gov. Deval Patrick (D) signed the historic Transgender Equal Rights Bill. The law will take effect on July 1, 2012, at which time the state's approximately 33,000 transgender residents will have vital protections against discrimination in employment, housing, education, credit and hate crimes law.

Today the Commonwealth of Massachusetts continues its longstanding tradition of promoting equality by passing the Tra