"If we're equal, will you trade your marriage for my civil union?"

Nutshell-capturing photos of the marriage equality battle around the country:

Trish and Kate Varnum of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, react to the Iowa Supreme Court's ruling, 3 Apr 2009, from Yahoo News. As my wife put it, "Wow, these are midwesterners! Pasty heavyset folks with cross necklaces -- they look like everyone in my home town."

Euan Bear, of Bakersfield, Vt., in Montelier, 6 Feb 2009, from Yahoo News.