This week the US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit is hearing  oral arguments challenging the constitutionality  the Defense of Marriage Act’s denial of federal benefits for married same sex couples.  I will join my 16 co-plaintiffs at the John J. Moakley Courthouse in Boston.  It’s been a long three years since we were last here.

As the  spouse of the late Congressman Gerry E. Studds, I’m more familiar with political than legal arguments.  Even though our court case is about the federal government disrespecting our state-licensed marriages, I know that opponents feel it is about the illegitimacy of our marriages to begin with.  But we have more common ground than differences on how God, country and family factor  here.