Historic election for LGBT Americans – first ballot victories for marriage, first lesbian US senator

If LGBT Americans are feeling especially gleeful today – the day after our national election – it’s in part because the elections of 2004 and 2008 were such a kick in the stomach.

In 2004, several states passed gay marriage bans then four years later, California voters passed Proposition 8 which put a halt to the marriages that had just become legal earlier in the year.

So it was especially sweet to have President Barack Obama, the most pro-LGBT chief executive in history, re-elected.

Then there’s this: Same-sex marriage ballot initiatives were passed in Maine, Maryland and Washington and in Minnesota, a ballot to ban same-sex marriage was rejected, meaning there is hope for gay couples there.

Me and my colleagues at Gay Star News were covering the results late into the night. Here is my story on the Maine victory and stories on Maryland and Washington/Minnesota.

I also did a story for GSN on the historic senate victory of Tammy Baldwin (pictured) who became the first openly gay member of the United States Senate. And in an added bonus, did a little story on Mark Pocan who was elected to Baldwin’s House seat – he is also gay!