Washington D.C. has just joined New Hampshire, Iowa, Massachusetts, Vermont and Connecticut as jurisdictions that allow same sex marriage in the United States. According to CNN:

A lesbian couple together for more than a decade smiled through tears Tuesday as they became the first same-sex couple to marry in the District of Columbia, on the first day such unions are legal in the nation’s capital. Sinjoyla Townsend and Angelisa Young said they had waited years to marry. They were first in line last week to apply for a marriage license at Washington’s marriage bureau.

“You are my friend, my partner, my love,” Young, 47, told Townsend, 41. “I will love you today, tomorrow and forever.” After the wedding, those present cheered as the two women embraced and cried. They have been together for 12 years and have children, according to biographical information released by the Human Rights Campaign and D.C. Clergy United for Marriage Equality.

The new law survived a Supreme Court challenge. The measure went into effect last week, but couples had to hold off until Tuesday because of the district’s three-day waiting period. “We’re very excited,” Townsend said last week. She and Young were among 100 couples applying for licenses.

Unfortunately, D.C.’s recognition of this fundamental human right only extends state level benefits as federal benefits remain unavailable. While change cannot come soon enough, at least we are seeing progress. “Only” 45 states to go.