N.Y.: Gay Couple Wants to Make It Legal After Six Decades

Many loving couples will benefit if New York's battling legislature approves a marriage equality bill, including Richard Dorr, 84, and John Mace, 91, who have been in a relationship for 61 years.

In an interview with CNN, the couple shared their story and how they plan to take their relationship to the next level if given the opportunity to marry.

Living in New York City, the two met in the early 1950s over their shared loved of music. Mace was working part-time at the Juilliard School when he and Dorr crossed paths, which eventually led to a relationship that spanned more than six decades.

Mace said he hoped gay marriage would not be an issue for the next generation of Americans. "They deserve better than what we had. I mean, it was very difficult. It's terrible to be looked down upon and be considered a second-class citizen," he said.

If New York State passes its gay marriage bill, which is pending in the state Senate, the two men plan to go to City Hall to apply for a marriage license. If the measure is unsuccessful, Dorr and Mace will consider traveling to Massachusetts to get married, as marriage has been available to gay couples there since 2004.