Originally published on Thu February 28, 2013 1:13 pm
By Erica Ryan
Credit Karen Bleier / AFP/Getty Images
After years of legal wrangling, the Defense of Marriage Act — the law that prevents the federal government from recognizing marriage as anything but a "legal union between one man and one woman" — comes before the Supreme Court next month.
Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta announced on Monday that the military will extend some benefits to same-sex partners. But the list of 22 items could take as long as eight months to implement at bases across the country, including Fort Carson Army Post south of Colorado Springs.
From the sparks lit at the Stonewall Inn in 1969 to the whirl of same-sex marriage laws, the gay rights movement has made a lot of advances. But has it now reached a plateau?