Savage says, marriage equality supporters must return to work and continue fighting. Savage: 'This is just the beginning'

Founder of the “It Gets Better Project” Dan Savage celebrated today’s Supreme Court decision to strike down the Defense of Marriage Act, but said that “this is just the beginning” and there is much still to fight for.

“This is just the beginning of a whole state-by-state battle to secure marriage equality and justice for all same-sex couples in the states,” Savage said MSNBC’s “NOW with Alex Wagner. “For couples who live in the 37 states that do not have marriage equality — for couples in Mississippi, Alabama, Illinois, Texas and Florida — there’s nothing in this decision that improves their lives.”


With DOMA now unconstitutional, same-sex marriages in states with marriage equality will be federally recognized. However, this means that gay marriage will still only be legal in 13 states.

( PHOTOS: Reactions to Supreme Court’s gay marriage rulings)

“We need to remember — those of us living in the 13 states that have marriage equality — that we need to fight like hell for all of those couples living in states that do not yet have marriage equality,” Savage said.

Savage stressed that Wednesday’s decision was long overdue, as well as the fact that marriage equality supporters must return to work.

“For couples who lived and died under the discrimination that so many same-sex couples have been subjected to historically, this decision and this justice comes too late,” he said.

“We’re all a little, I think, shocked and teary as Edie Windsor rightfully so was today,” Savage said. “But this fight is not over today. There’s a lot to celebrate today and by 2:00 this afternoon I think we all need to get back to work.”