It's rare that I do this without a cut, but this is important...

[holzman_tweed]

Whom The Gods Have Brought Together

Let No One Tear Asunder

So mote it be.

Comments

[gkrikket.livejournal.com]

Wow. Too damn cool. I'm glad to see it happen, and *without* the courts forcing it to be a reality.

Re:

[holzman.livejournal.com]

This isn't out of the hands of the courts yet. This is a municipal government specificly, openly, and directly defying state law.

Re:

[gkrikket.livejournal.com]

Ah. I didn't have time to look into it earlier on.

Still, we can hope...

[vulgarweed.livejournal.com]

So mote it be!!!!!

Beautiful.

[luis-mw.livejournal.com]

So Mote It Be indeed!

And Shrub can stick that proposed constitutional amendment (banning same sex unions) up his ass, preferably wrapped around a leaky drum of napalm

[thebitingfaery.livejournal.com]

I'm guessing these sweet women were married today?

Re:

[holzman.livejournal.com]

By the City of San Francisco, no less.

At this point, about 15 more marriages have been performed, and at least a dozen more licenses granted.

[aliza250.livejournal.com]

Mazel Tov. May the love and happiness last forever.

Who are these people, where did they get married, why do you care so much about them, and how many of the set [family, friends, G-d, government] will recognize the union?

In further news, the BC government has stated that civil marriage registrars who are not willing to marry same-sex couples should resign their commissions. Since last summer one in ten marriages in the province has been a same-sex couple.

To pinheads everywhere: are you going to tell me that, in order to provide for optimal child-rearing environments, these two senior ladies should marry gentlemen instead of each other?

Re:

[holzman.livejournal.com]

Phyllis Lyon, 79, left, and Del Martin, 83.

They got married in San Francisco. I care about them becaue they're now the first same sex couple to be married by an American civil authority. I'm under the impression that family and friends recognize it. I'm of the opinion that God recognizes it. The government of the City of San Francisco recognizes it, because that's who performed it. There's likely to be a legal battle soon about who else wil recognize it.

Huzzah to the government of BC!

Religious vs. Civil Marriage

[aliza250.livejournal.com]

I'm of the opinion that God recognizes it.

Well, there are those who are of the opinion that if you want your marriage to be recognized by a higher power, you should explicitly invoke that power to bless the union. (Something that you emphatically may not do at a City Hall wedding.)

I certainly understand why it was important to get at least one marriage legally enacted before making the announcement, and I can't blame people who, for whatever reason, don't want to wait even one more day to get married, and I don't ask married friends whether they had a religious or civil ceremony... but I do feel that the ritual of asking for a blessing for the union is an important part of making a lifetime commitment. It's a very personal choice, and not a decision that one person can make for another, but for me it's part of the package.

Enough religious agencies have decided to bless same-sex unions and weddings that I think the two issues can be decisively separated; any argument opposing same-sex marriage on religious grounds can be countered by equally valid religious opinions supporting it. No religion has a monopoly on the truth.

In any case, I'll stop arguing now, and drink a toast to all the San Francisco couples getting married yesterday, today, and in the future, no matter how they choose to formalize their vows.

[la-nuit.livejournal.com]

!!!!!

im excited to see this image all over my friends pages...but i have so many questions. is this really considered a legal marriage?

Re:

[holzman.livejournal.com]

That remains to be seen.

California State Law bans same-sex marriage, and San Francisco is specificly and directly defying that law. There's a bill working it's way through the legislature to change that law, but it's going to be a fight.

In the eyes of the City of San Francisco, however it's considered legal.

[aliza250.livejournal.com]

A news story that gives some of the background of these two ladies is at http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/02/13/1076548223040.html . These gay-rights pioneers founded the Daughters of Bilitis, the first national lesbian organization in the US, in 1955.

Besides, they look so **cute** together!

[scruffycritter.livejournal.com]

I couldn't have picked two better poster children.

I can't help but grin. Probably will be doing it all day.

[aliza250.livejournal.com]

Well, they *were* deliberately picked as poster children. Two sweet little old ladies who have been living together for 47 years. They got called a few days ago asking if they wanted to be the first couple married.

Re:

[doohickey.livejournal.com]

They are oldest adorable poster children, ever. Hope they are always happy.

[rmjwell.livejournal.com]

For some backstory on how Mayor Newsom made this happen, I highly recommend this article (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/02/15/MNGMN51F8Q1.DTL&type=printable) from Sunday's SF Chronicle.