first state to abolish its sodomy laws. 1998 - Maine became the first state to repeal its existing gay-rights statutes 1999 - Vermont Supreme Court grants the same rights and protections that married heterosexuals have to homosexual partners. 1999 - Antisodomy laws of 32 states were repealed 1999 - 11 states had laws to protect homosexuals from discrimination 2000 - Vermont Supreme Court backed civil unions between homosexual couples 2003 - Massachusetts Highest Court rules that homosexuals do have the right to marry according to the constitution. 2003 - Antisodomy Laws in all states were overturned. 2006 - New Jersey's Supreme Court extends civil rights to homosexuals and allows civil unions 2008 - California and Connecticut Supreme Courts abolished their states' bans on same-sex marriages 2009 - Iowa Supreme Court unanimously legalized same-sex marriage in Varnum v. Brien American political parties, interest groups and LGBT rights The Libertarian Party supported a libertarian perspective on LGBT rights from its founding in 1971. Its first platform , in 1972, said, "We hold that no action which does not infringe the rights of others can properly be termed a crime. We favor the repeal of all laws creating "crimes without victims" now incorporated in Federal, state and local laws—such as laws on voluntary sexual relations, drug use, gambling, and attempted suicide." In 1976 the party published a pamphlet, "Gay Rights: A Libertarian Approach," which called for an end to sodomy laws and other legal discrimination, including with regard to marriage and adoption. The pamphlet also explained that libertarians opposed "legislation forcing private persons who, for one reason or another, dislike homosexuals, nevertheless to hire them, admit them to "public accommodations" (which are not really "public" at all, but privately owned), and rent or sell apartment or houses to them" because "freedom...implies also the freedom to be wrong." 2012 Libertarian presidential nominee criticized President Obama for not endorsing a federal right to gay marriage. The National Stonewall Democratic Federation is the official LGBT organization for the Democratic Party, while the Log Cabin Republicans is the organization for lesbian, gay and bisexual citizens that want to moderate the Republican Party social policies. In terms of minor political parties, the Outright Libertarians is the official LGBT organization for the Libertarian Party, and is among the groups that follow the Libertarian perspectives on gay rights. The Green Party LGBT members are represented by the Lavender Greens. The