Third Time’s a Charm (A brief history of a gay marriage)

Lesley Lurie shares her personal experience of the struggle for same-sex marriage rights and its impact on her family. In 2002, she and her wife had their first wedding ceremony which was not legally recognized in any state. After traveling across the US and South Africa, they got married again in San Francisco when the city temporarily legalized same-sex marriage. However, this too was annulled shortly after. They later adopted their son Joey due to lack of legal rights for non-married parents. In 2008, California Supreme Court declared same-sex marriage legal and they got married again, but faced tax complications as federal recognition was still lacking. The passage of Prop 8 in the same year led to a backlash against their family and other gay couples. However, allies stood up for them and helped defend their rights. Finally, on June 26, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that same-sex marriage was a constitutional right, making their union recognized in every state. They have been together for 19 years and will celebrate their 17th wedding anniversary this year.