Full disclosure: I spent a summer living and working in South Africa and found it a fascinating, somewhat schizophrenic country with amazing people who, despite persistent poverty and de facto segregation, were extremely optimistic about their country's potential to live up to the promise of democracy, pluralism, and equality.

They were proven right yesterday, when South Africa legalized gay marriage, becoming the fifth country to do so, the first in Africa. Keep in mind that homophobia persists to a rather strong degree throughout sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in some black religious factions. Also keep in mind that this is a nation that, when we were born, was the apartheid state, a country whose values were the antithesis of equality for all. I am simultaneously inspired that a country dear to my heart with such a troubled history can take such a bold step, and ashamed that my other beloved country smugly undermines its democratic credentials every day that we lag behind on this issue (and many others).