As a national civil right, same sex marriage is in its infancy.  Until a few decades ago, LGBT people were mostly imaged in ways that were coded or required insider knowledge, or were simply invisible. Often these depictions were outlaw images, political protest images or images refuting subservience to ideas of normalcy in broader ways. In the late 20^th century, LGBT people (a coalition and term conjured in the mid 1980’s) began to be imaged by artists and journalists more broadly. Historians looking back at late 20^th and early 21^st century images will find an explosive proliferation of images in US culture depicting same sex relationships, familial and social situations and find visual evidence of deep and long term love and care and amongst LGBT people. This project bears witness to the first people to benefit from long term, legalized love and family life in the United States.

Sponsored by the Cambridge Arts Council

Special thanks to Julia Kirchmer, program director, 263 Gallery

Courtesy of the BBC News: raw video footage from Cambridge City Hall, May 17, 2004, shot by Maxine Collins

Research Assistance:

Ryan Leitner

Topher Lineberry

Kevin Foster, Commonwealth of Massachusetts Registry of Vital Statistics & Records

Photography Assistance:

Furen Dai

Jeremy Endo

Kirk Lorenzo

Laura Reese (printing)

Art Handlers:

Olimpia Saxe-Coburg

Rachel Orlang

Adam Berk

BBC Interview

Boston Magazine Review