Celebrate the converts to marriage equality

My friendship with Jackie Cassara began over lunch in 1992, after she announced that she was gay as if it were a warning.

We had spoken over the phone a few times for a story about one of her colleagues. Jackie and I were both working mothers with young children. Our conversations were lively and fun and constantly veering off topic. After my story ran, we agreed to meet in person.

What I didn’t know at the time was that Jackie had only recently started coming out to friends and families. Reactions had been mixed, sometimes painful, and she didn’t want to get hurt by me, too. On the spot, she...