PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Governor Chafee's signing of a new state law allowing same-sex couples to marry brought out a mix of old and young members of the gay community to the State House lawn Thursday evening.
Many of the older ones proudly wore their gay pride colors, waived flags and held up signs. After, they talked about the long struggle for equal rights and the barriers still to overcome.
"For us, it's been decades. This is a really important step for us, but in many ways, it's just one more chink in the armor of the inequality that has taken place for a long time," said Andrew Winters, who attended the ceremony with his husband, Don Smith. "We have to get equality across the country."
The younger faces in crowd of at least 600 tended to focus on the rights their families would now be afforded.
"The best thing now is that your marriage is recognized, just as you would hope if you were a straight couple your marriage would be recognized in all 50 states," said Jenna Lafayette, a Providence resident who, along with her wife, Kim Ahern, was among the special guests invited to view the House vote from the chamber floor.
The couple were married in Vermont last September by state Rep. Christopher Blazejewski, D-Providence.