Same-Sex Marriage Rallies Take the U.S. By Storm

Last week, tens of thousands of people across the country came out in support of same-sex marriage after California voters passed Proposition 8, which nullified previously legal unions. From New York City to Minneapolis, D.C. to San Francisco, gay marriage supporters turned out in huge crowds to protest the ballot initiative that passed in California on Nov. 4.

Mormon temples have been the site of many protests, as the faith rallied around Prop 8, although some in the gay rights movement are quick to point out that Mormons should not become the only scapegoat.

Comedian Wanda Sykes even came out of the closet during a rally in Las Vegas—Sykes told the crowd she wed her wife in California in October and that Prop 8 "felt like I was being attacked, personally attacked our community was attacked."

What will Ellen and Portia have to say?

Prop 8 wasn't the only disturbing news for gay rights on November 4.  Florida and Arizona both passed gay marriage bans, while Arkansas banned gay couples from adopting children.

But gay rights activists do have some reasons to rejoice: Connecticut started marrying gay couples last week and if the photo of the first, ecstatic lesbian couple to be married didn't bring tears to your eyes... well, you might just have a heart of coal.