Vermont was the first US state to sign a bill verifying that same-sex couples are equal to heterosexual couples. Germany signed a bill the same year recognizing partnerships for same-sex couples. However, in 2004, same-sex relationships began to increase in the United States. California, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, and New York have begun to recognize same-sex unions in one way or another. Massachusetts became the first state to allow same-sex marriage. Shortly after Massachusetts, Connecticut signed a same-sex civil union bill. California also officially legalized same-sex marriages in 2008. During 2009, Iowa, New Hampshire, and Vermont also legalized same-sex marriage. On October 22, 2013, Jason Pickel and Darren Black Bear became the first to legalize same-sex marriage. same-sex couple to marry in Oklahoma, but the marriage was conducted through a tribe, not the state. Jason and Darren are both members of the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribe. They had been partners for eight and a half years and were planning to move out of state to get married. A tribal officer said the tribe would allow it. Rosemary Stephens, editor of the Tribal Tribune, a tribal-owned newspaper, said: “The tribe's laws do not address gender in marriage.