Psychoanalytic theory and practice have gradually come to recognize that societal prejudice and discrimination against lesbians has frequently resulted in damage to the self, resulting in various symptoms that include depression and low self-esteem. This paper suggests that the recent legal changes that have led to the legalization of same-sex marriage in many parts of the United States and much of the developed world has the potential to reverse that trend and to improve the psychological health of lesbians regardless of their marital status.