In Mexico, scores of gay couples lined up in Mexico City Thursday as a gay marriage law took effect. In December, city lawmakers voted to include gay and lesbian couples within existing marriage laws, going beyond a previous measure granting them the same marriage rights as straight couples. Mexico City resident Ema Villanueva was among those to line up on Thursday.

Ema Villanueva: “This is something we have fought for for many years, not only us, but also activists who have fought for equal rights for over thirty years. This has been a day we have been expecting, and we didn’t know it would come so soon. We still haven’t been able to soak in the happiness, excitement and everything we feel.”