countdown to equality

Ten Great Ways To Celebrate The Arrival Of Marriage Equality

Anyone who lives a stone’s throw from most gay bars in the country knows June is pride month. But this June we have a major extra reason to celebrate — the Supreme Court handed own its decision on same-sex marriage overturning bans on same-sex marriage in 13 states resisting the tide of history.

But showing pride and enjoying freedom is about a lot more than donning your skimpiest outfit and traipsing about town (though it’s definitely about that, too).

We came up with suggestions on how to celebrate the freedom to marry this June:

1. Get married!

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If you happen to be one of those sickeningly cute people in a stable, committed relationship, now might be the perfect time to celebrate your new freedom by, well, exercising it. Have your day — you can even ride in on a unicorn if it suits you.

2. Put your money where your mouth is

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If the right to marry the person you love (even if you don’t know him or her yet) is something that makes you a proud gay, consider all of our brothers and sisters who are still in the trenches, fighting for equality. Assuming you’ve got a little something to spare, we’re sure Amnesty International’s marriage equality organization would love to hear from you — and your bank account.

3. Delete your dating apps

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Have you had a nagging feeling lately that you’re just treading life’s waters by going from one dalliance to the next? Perhaps it’s time to get off the apps, and shoot for something lasting lasting longer than an ice cream cone on a summer day. You don’t need to go out and find your future husband immediately, but what about a book club? Volley ball team? You’ll never know until you try.

4. Download dating apps

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You didn’t think we’d knock online dating altogether, did you? Maybe what you need to celebrate is some physical attention, but remember that app connections are truly what you make of them. Instead of meeting at his place, you could always opt for a cafe or bar (if only to get past the ‘total stranger’ phase). Next thing you know, you might be enjoying the great outdoors together! And you should have lots to talk about with the court’s decision dominating the news cycle.

5. Get sappy with gay love

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Every great romance has a great beginning. Why not curl up onto the couch with your cat as your date and hold an all-night romantic gay film fest for one? We recommend Weekend, But I’m A Cheerleader, Fire and Shelter. Have the tissues handy.

6. Have the pride you’ve always dreamed of

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Have you never marched down Market Street in San Francisco or partied at the iconic Dance on the Pier in New York? This could be your year.

7. Come out to your family

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If you still haven’t shared your completely honest self with your family — and maybe for good reason — this could be an excellent opportunity to ride the wave of public support and open their eyes to seeing the truth around them. The times are quickly changing, so be open to the people around you changing also. You could even bake them a cake to sweeten the deal.

8. Cut out the drama 

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Opponents to marriage equality will use every opportunity they can to point at us as examples of the downfalls of society. We couldn’t care less what they think, but use our hard-fought freedom to take a look at what’s important in your life. Not for them, but for you. Maybe it’s time to trim a little proverbial fat that isn’t serving you.

9. Call a friend and tell the you love them

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Yes, this sounds sappy. But the freedom to marry is all about expressing our truest love, and love doesn’t always come in the form of romance and champagne. With the nation’s eyes focused on gay marriage, take all of 10 minutes to call a friend for the sole purpose of expressing your love for them. The gratitude will reverberate.

10. Keep on fighting

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The Supreme Court decision is a major hurdle for the LGBT movement. But we haven’t reached the finish line — not by a long shot. There are always local battles for LGBT protections, ex-gay therapy needs to be banned on minors, and the international community still struggles with acceptance, or worse. If these things matter to you, stay informed, inform others, and keep the conversation going.

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