Same-Sex Marriage in New York? What does it mean?

By now, we've all heard about how people of the same sex can now get married in the great state of New York. It passed by a very close margin, which is unfortunate for 2011. However, it did pass, nonetheless. What's interesting about what happened is, even some Republicans who weren't even that keen on the idea ended up voting for because they recognized a changing world and didn't want to stall something that was going to arrive anyway.

What's signifigant about this is the fact this is the biggest state yet by far to give equality on nearly all fronts (I think) in the legal world. Although the problems regarding marriage as an institution can be debated (and they certainly can), the fact that children that are growing up now in New York won't have to wonder why the government treats certain orientations differently will have a profound effect on how young LGBT people learn to see themselves. Government sanctioning is a very strong message, whether you realize it or not. If the government recognizes something, then progress is often sure to follow.