Hawaii Comes Full Circle, Legalizes Gay Marriage

By the end of today, Hawaii will be the fifteenth state to legalize same-sex marriage, a moment rich with historical irony. Hawaii's State Supreme Court recognized that right 20 years ago, setting off a backlash that impacted the rest of the country. Since 1993, Hawaii's controversy over same-sex marriage has established a pattern for other states and for Washington, DC, where the Defense of Marriage Act was enacted with Hawaii in mind. Jonathan Goldberg-Hiller is professor of Political Science at the University of Hawaii and author of The Limits to Union, a history of the controversy.