Some of the shots of the marriage ceremony... The weddings was last year - these are two separate events. (Oddly a distinction that some people can't make, thus some of the political bruhaha.) Our friends have other shots from the marriage that we should be receiving soon.

Location: In front of Mayor Newsom's office in San Francisco City Hall, watched over by the bronze busts of Harvey Milk (!!) and Dianne Feinstein.

Our dear friends flanking us as witnesses.
The stunning bouquet was made by Wade, our beloved friend who's an interior designer.


Theresa Sparks officiating. Darryl is signing as witness





Our City Hall is gorgeous!

In the last post I intentionally didn't post about the protesters there.
The crowd was good about ignoring them. As the haters spewed poison from their megaphones, a group of charming older women started various chants to bury them in the voice of tolerance and love. The most popular chant by them that spread was "Blah Blah Blah! Blah Blah Blah!"

Anyhow, here are what haters look like. The most shocking to me was this mother who brought her young daughter out to stand and hate along side her. What is she teaching her? How wretched is her heart? What does love mean to this mother? I just wanted to hug the poor daughter and give her hot cocoa. (it was a very cold summer day here).

Yesterday I went down to the San Francisco Civic Center. (all bundled up warm against the fog with cold and cough meds at the ready) There's been a lot of civil rights history made here in this town, and recently too, with the equal rights recognition for people to marry. I usually miss those big history making days in SF because I'm on the road, somewhere far away. But I still feel the joy and sense of victory (and sometimes crushing defeats) as I know I'm part of the activism, even if teeny bitsy part, to make civility and justice move forward.
So it was great to be down there. I needed to be in the area for another errand so I timed it to be around 430pm. At 5:01pm the first marriage was being performed by Mayor Newsom somewhere in the rooms of City Hall. I joined the growing, buzzing crowd around 4:30pm. I ran into a friend or two.

Mood: Excited, joyful, unbelieving, teary.
I was near the part where a happy group of people showed up with a Chuppah and musicians and cake and a Jewish marriage contract re-written as contract to witness the legalization of marriage in California. They shared cake and rose petals and had folks sign the covenant. A gay band showed up playing various wedding marches. A guy showed up with dozens of roses and handed them out to people. He gave me a lovely, soft, fragrant red one.
Lyon and Martin, the amazing activist couple chosen as the first to marry.... they didn't make an appearance for the crowd, that I'm fine with that. It was just important that we be there. Happy.
We did see many dignitaries and important activists, all dressed well, trickle out of the building. They must have been part of the wedding party. I saw Reverend Cicil Williams of Glide, Betty of Betty's List. I think I saw San Francisco Supervisor Roberta Achtenberg and Superior Court Judge Donna Hitchens. I even saw one of my doctors. I knew she was cool, but I didn't know she was that cool!

To be honest, I'm still in shock that marriage is legal for same gendered couples now. I really didn't think I'd see it before I was as old as Lyon and Martin.
Interracial marriage wasn't legal in the US until just after I was born - that's 1967. You wouldn't bat an eye at that today - but back then, not too long ago, it was sure to unravel the fabric of the American culture. I still don't get what two guys or two women getting hitched has to do with the quality of some het couple's marriage. last time I checked het divorces and het affairs and Britney Spears were the downfall of sanctity of het marriage. How often do you hear of lurking handsome homos seducing the unhappily married Family Guy? There's something tragic when throngs of wedding planners, florists, hairdressers and bridal dress designers themselves can't get married.

Below are some of the photos. They're not that good. I'm short and the crowd was big, but you get the idea.

Oh and the errand I was supposed to do? It didn't get done. I'll do it today. So I'll get more photos today, I hope. I was there to get a certified copy of my divorce decree from years back so I can get our marriage license and merry in city hall. We're doing it on the anniversary of our private ceremony, July 7th.

"... one of the core elements embodied in
the state constitutional right to marry is the right of an individual and a couple to
have their own official family relationship accorded respect and dignity equal to
that accorded the family relationship of other couples."

".... the state’s assignment of a different name to the couple’s relationship poses a risk that the
different name itself will have the effect of denying such couple’s relationship the
equal respect and dignity to which the couple is constitutionally entitled."

"... Instead of presuming the
validity of the statutes defining marriage and establishing domestic partnership, in
effect the majority presumes them to be constitutionally invalid by characterizing
domestic partnership as a “mark of second-class citizenship.” (Maj. opn., ante, at
p. 118.) This judicial presumption contravenes the express intent of the
Legislature to equalize the rights of spouses and domestic partners."


excerpts from Lockyer v. City and County of San Francisco (2004). California Supreme Court opinions document

but you know it's not "happily ever after" yet...