While politicians are debating and slowly but surely making progress on the issue of marriage equality at the state and federal levels, the actions of one 3-year-old boy from Minnesota may be all it takes to convince the holdouts. Little Emmett -- the son of Minneapolis residents, Dr. Paul Melchert, a pediatrician, and his partner, James Zimmerman -- took the stage with his dads and twin brother recently at a gathering of lawmakers. They were all there to announce the introduction of state legislation that would legalize same-sex marriage. And when Dr. Melchert took the mic to make his case about the inherent similarities between straight and gay parents, it turned out Emmett was the one who really drove his dad's point home.

Check out the totally cute, poignant video ...

At least 75 prominent Republicans have signed on in support of gay marriage. You read that right: Republicans gave gay marriage the thumbs up, in writing. Dozens of Republicans signed a legal document to be sent to the Supreme Court arguing that same-sex marriage is a constitutional right.

And why are they doing this? Were their hearts also changed by Glee? Nope. It's all about good, old-fashioned conservative values of "limited government and maximizing individual freedom." Oh yeah, and it promotes family values by allowing kids of gay couples to grow up in two-parent homes. No duh, Republicans!

No one expected that figureheads from the George W. Bush era would ever come out swinging for gay marriage. But in the last few years, we've been pleasantly surprised to find that a few Republicans -- like former First Lady Laura Bush, Colin Powell, and former VP Dick Cheney -- really do have souls! They really do support all Americans being able to enjoy the same officiality and benefits associated with marriage. At least according to interviews they've given in the last couple of years. For instance, Laura Bush famously said to Larry King in 2010, "When couples are committed to each other and love each other, then they ought to have the same sort of rights that everyone has." Awesome, right?

But no. She had to go and do something to ruin it ... The snippet was used in a new Respect for Marriage Coalition ad, and when Bush caught wind of it, she had a fit and demanded her clip be edited out.

Here's the ad in question ...

Retired Air Force Lt. Col. Linda Campbell As proud as we as Americans are of our country and our military, from time to time, it's easy to get discouraged or disgraced by inequalities driven by pure prejudice. Like same-sex marriage being a huge political battle. Or military spouses who happen to be gay being unable to get the same death benefits as hetero spouses. But recently, we've taken steps as a country to progress, to be better as a nation. One of the most recent: For the first time ever, a veteran's same-sex partner is due for burial in a national cemetery.

Nancy Lynchild, who died in December after a 12-year battle with breast cancer, will be buried in Willamette National Cemetery in Oregon. And someday, her partner who she married in Canada in 2010, a retired Air Force Lt. Col. Linda Campbell, will have her ashes buried alongside Lynchild's. It's a small but very significant move that was a long time coming.

Gay marriage is being legalized in so many states now, it's almost starting to look like a runaway train to marriageville, population everyone. But it probably doesn't feel that way for the people in those states working hard for their rights. Today, the Illinois Senate voted to legalize same-sex sex marriage -- and I just love that it passed on Valentine's Day!

Actually, Illinois is only the 10th state (plus the District of Columbia) to legalize gay marriage. There are 40 more states to go, so we'd all better start getting used to hearing this kind of good news. It's all about love, everyone. Let's share the love.

Ashley Broadway is just like any other Army wife: She's been standing by the U.S. military and her beloved soldier, an Army lieutenant colonel, for 15 years. She's waited at home with their son Carson while her spouse was deployed to the Middle East. She's had to relocate bases, even moving to South Korea at one point.

But when the couple landed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and Broadway wanted to join the Association of Bragg Officers' Spouses, she was refused membership. The private military club claims she couldn't join without a military ID card, but Broadway believes it has to do with something else ... She's gay.

Yup, turns out we are so not as progressive as we may like to think ...

To say 2012 was an eventful year in politics is quite an understatement. No matter what side of the aisle you're on, it's probably felt like you've been duking it out for what you believe since January 1. And along the way, there have been quite a few outspoken movers and shakers who have stunned and entertained us but above all, created real, noticeable change.

Here, the top 12 political changemakers of 2012, in order from just plain great to most mind-blowingly incredible ...

The GOP did not attract young voters to the polls in 2012. For some reason, young people seem to think that Republicans hate the gays, and the only people voting for Mitt were racist bigots. Or something.

Shhhh! No one tell GOProud they’re not supposed to be Republicans!

Because apparently talking about gay marriage is more important than the looming fiscal cliff or murdered ambassadors in Benghazi. Chris Stevens was gay, by the way, and I’m sure he’d care a heck of a lot more right now about being alive than whether he was in a civil union or a marriage.