On June 1, 2011, more than 400 people took their places in line. Among them were parents, veterans, business owners, teachers, and senior citizens. Some had arrived hours before dawn. All were there to receive, through offices of the Cook County clerk, some of the first same-sex civil union licenses granted by the State of Illinois.

The law, signed on January 31, does not offer marriage equality for gay couples. Federal benefits extended to spouses (such as joint filing for income taxes) do not fall under its umbrella. But for the first time, rights recognized by Illinois for married heterosexual couples—such as the right to visit or make decisions for a hospitalized partner or the right to inherit a partner’s assets after that person’s death—were extended to same-sex couples. Many of the pairs newly united under the law, however, including the six couples pictured on these pages, had made commitments to share their lives together years before.

Interviews were transcribed, condensed, and edited for clarity.

JIM DARBY + PATRICK BOVA (above)
YEARS TOGETHER: 47

I’m a veteran of the Korean War. In the nineties, we would go to Washington every year to meet with Congress to ask them to lift the ban against gay people in the military. And every year, after lobbying, we would go to Congressional Cemetery and do a wreath-laying at the grave of Sergeant Leonard Matlovich, the Air Force sergeant who came out in 1975 on the cover of Time. In 1995, a reverend from Metropolitan Community Churches was there, and I casually asked, “Would you marry us?” She said yes. —JIM DARBY

We gave our vows extemporaneously. We both started to cry—it was very moving. When we were going to get our civil union license, we weren’t as excited about it as 21-year-olds might have been. It’s like launching a different phase of life, and we had been through that already. But everybody else was really excited. It was wonderful. —PATRICK BOVA

Photography: Taylor Castle

S. LEE EDWARDS + REV. BRENDA E. LEE
YEARS TOGETHER: 8

We know that God ordained our relationship as friends, and now as partners, and that we should be together. What this shows, with Illinois taking this step, is that our relationship is being recognized. It’s not being denied or discounted. —S. LEE EDWARDS

The civil union ceremony we were a part of in Millennium Park [on June 2] was such a huge statement. Passersby began to line up and cheer, saying, “You’re doing great.” It was uplifting spiritually, and it was powerful. —REV. BRENDA E. LEE

THERESA VOLPE + MERCEDES SANTOS
YEARS TOGETHER: 19

When we had our daughter seven years ago, we had a huge baby shower. Our families were there, and we thought, This is recognition of our relationship. We didn’t have a ceremony. But now that our kids are older, they need to know that they count, that our relationship counts, and that it’s important. We want them to see that we have nothing to hide. —THERESA VOLPE

We were glad some people had ceremonies before—when they weren’t legally recognized—but it just wasn’t for us. When the civil union law passed, we felt that it was the time for us to do it. It’s our right now, and we’re going to take that right. —MERCEDES SANTOS

FRANK BAIOCCHI + ROBERT HUNT
YEARS TOGETHER: 8

The world hasn’t collapsed because Rob and I have demonstrated our love and commitment to each other in a public way. Living our lives, being concerned citizens, and being intentional about the work toward marriage equality at the federal level is critical. —FRANK BAIOCCHI

I never felt that in my lifetime I would have the opportunity to experience this, to have these rights. During our civil union ceremony, I thought about the people in California who were married and how [the state] lost that. I can’t imagine that feeling—if suddenly what we had shared and experienced was taken away. It’s a very humbling thought. —ROBERT HUNT

QADREE HOLMES + TROY HOLMES
YEARS TOGETHER: 6

We were married in 2007. We had a ceremony with our friends and family. That was our wedding. When Governor Quinn signed the civil union legislation, it was just awesome. Now the state actually recognized the marriage that we had four years ago. The civil union was just a renewal of our vows—that’s how we looked at it. And a celebration of a historic day. —QADREE HOLMES

After we got married, it cost me hundreds of dollars to get my name changed, when it could have been done through a civil union. But I wanted to do that. I needed to do that. With the whole civil union process, it’s been cool to see that, finally, government is working for us. —TROY HOLMES

MONICA HENAL + MIREYA HURTADO
YEARS TOGETHER: 13

There’s a long way to go for this to be recognized at the federal level. What would happen if one of us passed away? And my Social Security doesn’t go to her, or hers doesn’t come to me? So many years together. It’s not right. But this is a big step. —MONICA HENAL

We have friends who got married in Iowa. We have friends who, when it became legal, went to Canada. We always had the conversation: Should we do that? Both of us agreed that we wanted to wait until something happened in Illinois. That when civil unions became legal here, we would do it. We always were waiting for some way to have legal protection. —MIREYA HURTADO