2012 has already been a memorable year for marriage equality advocates.
Today, Maryland became the eighth state to allow same-sex marriages, after the state's Gov. Martin O'Malley signed a marriage equality bill into law late this afternoon.
Six states, Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont, plus Washington, D.C., allow same-sex marriage rights while Maryland and Washington state may see a referendum put to voters during the November elections to decide the fate of same-sex unions.