While the recent news that North Carolina’s proposed ban on same-sex marriage has passed is disheartening, let’s not forget that the country is still making strides, or at least steps, towards legalizing gay marriage. Just the fact that President Obama said outright that he was “disappointed” by the outcome, shows that things might be looking up in the next few years.

To lift your spirits a little bit, here are a list of the states that have passed same-sex marriage laws:

• Connecticut
• Massachusetts
• Iowa
• New Hampshire
• New York
• Vermont
• Washington D.C.

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