Yesterday, Connecticut became the third state to grant same-sex relationships the same rights as heterosexual relationships. Excitingly, we were the first state to do so without a directive from the courts. The bill passed without much rancor through both chambers in Hartford, and Republican Gov. Jodi Rell signed it into law. There's still work to be done: the final version contained language added by the House that defined marriage as a union between a man and a woman. Nonetheless, today I am proud of my adopted home state, for once leading the nation in something other than poorest cities or highest per capita wealth.

Starting today, same-sex couples in Connecticut will enjoy the same rights to make medical decisions for each other, file taxes jointly, and raise their children together that straight couples have long enjoyed. But the outcome isn't the only part of this story that's important. The fact that the policy came out of the political branches and not the judiciary is a crucial part of the story. Already, it's clear that the arguments of opponents seem a lot weaker when positioned against a decision made by the people's representatives. They can't whine about "judicial activism," so they must instead react in a way that's far healthier for our democracy-- by promising to hold politicians accountable for their votes at the next election.

Amidst all the recent controversy about "moral" issues and judicial independence at the federal level, it's great to see the political branches of my state government pre-empting that whole, nasty debate here. I believe that our constitutional tradition of gender equality jurisprudence demands the recognition of marriage between any two consenting adults. But I also understand that judicial decisions aren't made in a vacuum, and that sometimes (remember Roe?) the articulation of a valid constitutional right can do more damage than good for a progressive cause. That's why I hope other states follow Hartford's lead and legislate civil union rights, so that the courts don't have to.

(And yes, I'm back, having handed in my senior essay just an hour ago. It may or may not have been about highly similar issues to those discussed in this post.)