More than 500-people at World Café Live in Wilmington watched Delaware Governor Jack Markell sign a bill into law, legalizing civil unions for same-sex couples.
"Your family is now equal under the law," Markell said.
Loud applause erupted from the floor to those standing in the balcony, while the rainbow chorale sang “Make Them Hear You," a fitting tribute to the fight for equal rights.
"We’ve been together for eight years," said Charles Campbell-King, "but there are couples who have been here for 15, 20, 30 years and to finally have their relationship be validated."
As a state employee, Charles had insurance that covered his dogs, but not his partner.
"Every time we would have open enrollment, how insulting is that I can add Fido or Fluffy, but yet I can’t add the love of my life, so now we’ll be able to do that with the civil union bill," said Campbell-King.
Gay couples in Delaware now have the same rights, benefits, and obligations of married couples. It's something Patty Davis-Oliva and her partner wanted for their children, 10-year-old Sean and seven-year-old Katie.
"To have it be legitimized by society, you tell yourself it doesn’t mean anything, that it’s just a piece of paper. But it’s really not. It’s really not just a piece of paper," said Davis-Oliva.
Delaware joins New Jersey and six other states legalizing same-sex civil unions. The bill goes into effect January 1, 2012.
