A crowd of about 600 people gathered at the Queen Theater in Wilmington, Del., to watch Gov. Jack Markell sign into law a civil unions bill tailored to same-sex couples. The law zipped through the state's House and Senate, with both chambers voting at a ratio of almost 2-1 in favor, and now has been signed.

Effective Jan. 1, 2012, this law will provide legal protections and benefits for same-sex couples who are legally joined. This makes Delaware the eighth state to allow civil unions for same-sex partners.

“Tonight, we say to children of gay and lesbian parents in committed relationships all over our state — and there are so many wonderful kids, including many here tonight, growing up in those families all over our state — we say to you: It doesn't matter if your parents are gay or straight,” Markell told the crowd. “You are a family. And while we've known it, and you've known it for years, tonight, that equality becomes real under law.”