Federal Benefits for Gay Couples in MA Stayed

After Prop 8 was struck down in a federal district court, gay and lesbian couples in California have been told they’ll have to wait, at least until December if not years, before they stay on the same-sex marriage ban is lifted. Has this set a trend for gay rights across the nation?

It would appear it may have in Massachusetts, as a decision striking down the state’s ban on federal benefits for same-sex couples is now being held up as well.

According to the Wall Street Journal:

Unlike in California, this stay, agreed to on Wednesday, actually had the blessing of all parties involved, according to the National Law Journal.
The plaintiffs consented because they preferred certainty on the issue rather than face the prospect of making repayments to the government in the event the decision was reversed. “Only a final victory ensures that,” said Mary Bonauto of the Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, which represented the plaintiffs. Bonauto also said they hoped the stay would help avoid confusion for married couples across the country.