Massachusetts anticipates gay marriage ruling

In a state where a controversial and potentially groundbreaking court ruling on gay marriage is expected by the end of the week, a major metropolitan newspaper has come out in support of gay men and lesbians having the right to marry. The July 8 edition of The Boston Globe features an editorial in which the paper argues that the state constitution guarantees lesbians and gay men all the same "benefits and protections'' enjoyed by heterosexual couples, including marriage rights, and asks the court to rule in favor of gay marriage. The opinion piece comes as the state's supreme judicial court is set to rule on a case brought by seven same-sex couples whose requests for state marriage licenses had been rejected. Legal scholars have argued that the court will likely rule in favor of gay marriage, setting a powerful precedent that could be used by gay couples seeking to have their marriages recognized by other states. A ruling is expected in the marriage case by Saturday.