Lance Bass Reflects on LGBTQ+ Rights Today After His Same-Sex Wedding Made History 10 Years Ago

Lance Bass and Michael Turchin are opening up about their 10-year marriage in the new issue of Love Inc.

The couple’s big day was televised with an E! special, and they made history as the first same-sex couple to wed on cable television.

Bass and Turchin tied the knot in December 2014. At the time, same-sex marriage was legal in California, but it wasn’t legalized nationwide until 2015.

Lance explained, “Our whole relationship has been a roller coaster of emotions when it comes to marriage equality. It has been a fight to have equality for everyone else, and being a public figure — a gay public figure — it was important for us to share our message of love. Usually, we’re pretty private people, but we knew that we wanted everyone to see our relationship. You really don’t change your opinion until you know a gay person.”

Michael added of the televised wedding, “At first, we did not want to do it at all. We were like, reality TV… it’s the kiss of death. And then we realized there’s a bigger purpose. It’s not about us; it’s about showing this [relationship].”

Bass said this was their chance to “show people that we can get married” and “hopefully that would then help move the compass forward.”

While they are going strong and are now dads to twin toddlers, Lance has concerns about LGBTQ+ rights today.

“I did not think in 2025 we’d still be fighting,” he said. “It’s ridiculous. The pendulum swung forward, and now it’s swinging back. But the amount of hate we feel today? It’s worse than 10 years ago. This is the first time I’ve actually felt danger, and I didn’t feel that 10 years ago.”

Bass is holding out hope for progress, saying, “We have to remain positive. We can’t show that we’re scared­ — we want to show that we’re not going to back down.”