In a cozy home nestled in the heart of Tampa, a simple ballpoint pen sits behind glass. a piece of history framed and hung on the wall. For Mark Bias-West and Carrie West, that pen represents the moment they helped make history as the first same-sex couple to sign a domestic partnership with the city of Tampa back in 2012.

Well, we are, Carrie said proudly when asked if they were Tampas first same-sex domestic partners. We signed the domestic partnership for the City of Tampa. We helped put it together, and that was one of the first things out there. We did it, and we got pictures of that in the offices."

Their framed pen and documentation arent just memorabilia. Theyre symbols of a hard-won fight.

This just isnt like, Okay, you guys are together and thats it, Carrie said. This is makin

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