characters into television series—Will and Grace, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, Glee, Modern Family, Orange Is the New Black—has been an activist-supported strategy to give viewers contact with gay people through “parasocial contact,” the indirect experience of friendship with a gay television character.

The fact that Obama, running for reelection, wanted to make his change of mind public reflected that the country as a whole had shifted on same-sex marriage. Whatever political alchemy was taking place behind the scenes in his campaign had determined it was not only safe to admit his support, but it would help his odds of winning.

Gen X was the first generation in which more than 50% supported same-sex sexuality and marriage