There is no exuse for Proposition 8 to even be on the ballot in California since discrimination is illegal. I thought I would share one of the wedding stories I have had the pleasure of posting to a community center website. Vote No on Prop 8.
Tara and Alix, married 20 June 2008
The first time we met, we both thought “she’s the one!” – then we didn’t see each other again for three months. The second time we met, at a singles’ brunch, we talked for over 14 hours, until the owner of the restaurant where we had dinner tiptoed into the dining room to turn out the lights. The place had been closed for almost an hour.
That was in 2001, in Kentucky. We moved in together in 2002, and after seeing the San Francisco weddings on CNN, we decided to have a wedding of our own, to affirm our commitment publicly, in June 2005. We didn’t have much money, so we made everything ourselves, and had an exhausting but wonderful day with our family and friends. We were really touched by how many straight friends and family shared our joy that day, in a state that had passed an anti-gay-marriage constitutional amendment only seven months before. Since we didn’t need a licensed minister, the wedding was performed by the dear friend who had introduced us that very first day. And instead of a marriage license from the state, we made our own document that was signed by everyone at the wedding, affirming that they considered us married.
Shortly after our wedding, Alix’s career brought us to California. We had so many more rights and protections in California than we had had in Kentucky, that we certainly didn’t feel deprived. But when the State Supreme Court announced its decision on May 15, we finally felt like “full” citizens, with ALL of the same rights as straight Californians. On Friday, June 20, we were married “under the laws of the State of California!,” as our delighted officiant proclaimed. Our witnesses were two straight friends, one of whom brought her infant son and got teary when she recalled the 2004 San Francisco marriages being annulled, fearing that her children would never see equal marriage rights.
Being legally married has brought a lot of subtle but important changes. The biggest is that we now legally have the same last name, for the cost of the marriage license (about $160, versus $640 for two legal name-change orders). We had wills before, but it’s reassuring to know that we have more protection for our home and other joint property as a legally-married couple. And, as we try to start a family, it’s important to us that our kids know their moms are married. We just want the same protection for our family that straight couples have always had for theirs.
Featured!
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I all ready voted no