What if the Supreme Court Case, Bowers vs Hardwick had gone the other way; repealing Sodomy Laws? What would be the social effect? Would Same-Sex marriage be legalized earlier?
I think a different decision would have made a substantial difference. And I remember Justice Powell, who voted in favor of the 5-4 decision, also said that if lesbian or gay persons were actually put in jail, the law would have to be revisited (!).