Stefan Lynch Strassfeld and his friend Beth Teper

Stefan Lynch Strassfeld was raised by gay parents in the early eighties. Now 38, he came to StoryCorps to talk with his friend Beth Teper about growing up as AIDS began to spread.

Originally aired December 3, 2010 on NPR’s Morning Edition.

David Wilson

David Wilson was a plaintiff in the 2004 court decision that legalized same sex marriage in Massachusetts.

Wilson’s journey to that landmark case started 10 years earlier — when he lost his first partner, Ron Loso, to a heart attack. The EMT’s who arrived on the scene were suspicious of David and called the police. Later, when he got to the hospital, officials would not release any information about his partner.

That injustice led to Wilson becoming a plaintiff in the 2004 court decision.

The first weddings, which included David’s own, began taking place on May 17, 2004, after same sex marriage became legal in Massachusetts.

Originally aired October 15, 2010, on NPR’s Morning Edition.

Genna Alperin and MJ Seide

MJ met her partner in the early 1990s. Her partner had been married to a man and raised children.

MJ soon embraced her new extended family, especially her granddaughter, 12-year-old Genna Alperin.

MJ tells Genna what happened once she fell in love.

Originally aired February 12, 2010, on NPR’s Morning Edition.