Some happy news on the gay equality fight? 2

Well, I'll be damned. Homophobe-in-chief James Dobson may be lightening up just a little bit.

Speaking as one who's happy to find common cause with "reality-based" social conservatives (see also: efforts to make birth control more easily available to reduce the indcidence of abortion), this seems like a welcome development. It's not full marriage equality, but it's a step in that direction. I mean, from the state's point of view, marriage is defined by the benefits that accrue to people who are "married." If you want to call the state something other than "marriage," I personally don't have a problem with that. And it sure beats hell out of those Defense of Marriage Acts (which a lot of right-wing Christian groups continue to push) that would prohibit the kinds of legal protections for gay couples that this act would offer.

(Pointed by Ezra Klein, at Tapped.)