Next entry: What part of rape isn't rape?
Previous entry: Congratulations Are In Order
July 1, 2004
Eleven o’clock in the morning at the
Apricot Cat and Black Dog Bed & Breakfast
in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Who knew that we would see the day when our marriage would be recognized in the United States? Our marriage is recognized in a few states (and as a civil union or domestic partnership in others), but we’re second class citizens here in NC. Here at home we still have no hate crimes or employment protections (never mind benefits); there isn’t even an anti-bullying law that protects LGBT students yet (more on a critical vote today here).
As Kate and I take time to celebrate our union, we also celebrate all the recent marriages in California; may the voters in that state turn away the disgusting amendment that will be on the ballot in November and preserve marriage equality in the Golden State. Good luck as well to Arizona and Florida advocates of our right to marry—may those voters turn away the hate amendments at the polls as well.
Marriage equality continues to thrive in small pockets in our country, and one of the best ways we can cultivate support and effect change is to bring those marriages back home where these commitments are not legally recognized. Not to challenge the legal wrong, mind you (it’s going to be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court in the end), but to become visible married couples in our communities - living marriage out of the closet before our friends, neighbors, and work colleagues.
Visibility challenges assumptions; show willingness to explain to potential allies how your legal-somewhere-else marriage is denied where you live.
The fact is we will prove by example that our relationships will not cause an end to anyone else’s marriage or destroy society, and it will move all of us closer to full civil equality.
Here’s our blast-from-the-past photo album.
Posted by
Pam Spaulding on 02:42 PM •
(1)
Trackbacks •
Permalink
Happy anniversary! And I hope it gets to be legal everywhere sooner rather than later.
Congrats Pam and Kate!
It’s great to see people happy together. Here’s to many (many) more!…
(If we’re lucky, some influential NC resident may see the pictures, decide the world isn’t coming to an end after all, and start pushing over the first domino toward getting marriage rights in NC...)
Happy Anniversary!
We’ll be in Vancouver in 2 weeks’ time, and I’ll be thinking of you!
Were there any doubt about your union:
For some reason, Kate is into Hello Kitty ...
that is just soooooo married!
Happy Anniversary!
Is there a reason you stay in NC? Not that the power shouldn’t be fought…
Congratulations! Glad to see you got married in my home town. Too bad you had to leave the country to do it, though. My wife and I got married in 2002, and we felt no repurcussions when you did in 2004, so here’s at least some anecdotal evidence that no hetero marriages were harmed by yours. 
I married my hamster.
Does that count?
Happy anniversary!
If you want to repeat the experience here in CA, I’d be happy to be an attendant or witness and I’m sure many Pandagonians feel the same.
What Amanda, no duct tape?
We’ll have to revoke your license then. Unless you choose to use it to marry fifteen men at once…
Pam and Kate, congratulations and much love. You deserve the best that life has.
Happy anniversary and many happy returns of the day!
Congratulations Pam and Kate!
Happy anniversary Pam and Kate! (I tried this earlier and the intertubes ate it.)
I wish the best of anniversaries Pam & Kate. Congratulations on four years together and I hope there are decades of happiness you will share together yet to come.
Dear Pam,
I was totally a supporter until I saw from your photo that your marriage is an interracial lesbian union. Egads! Gay and lesbian couples should be allowed to marry, but not if their illicit unions threaten the purity of the white race by…
((What’s that?))
((Are you sure?))
... Never mind.
/wingnut
Happy anniversary!
Happy Anniversary!
Come celebrate on the Cape, with a lovely clam chowder, baked-stuffed lobster and legal recognition much older than those goofy CA newbies.
I was totally a supporter until I saw from your photo that your marriage is an interracial lesbian union.
Don’t laugh - a couple of years ago I received an email from a reader, a black woman, who said she loved my blog until she visited my wedding page and called me a race traitor and a shame to my race.
Shhh ... Kate’s not white ... Pam’s married to a .... a..... an ARAB!
Happy Anniversary, and I pray that soon you will get all the legal benefits that a marriage should have!
Shhh ... Kate’s not white ... Pam’s married to a .... a..... an ARAB!
Yes, a suspect Lebanese Lesbian.
Yes, a suspect Lebanese Lesbian.
Good thing she’s not a Lesbian lesbian, or she might have to come up with a new title.
Yes, a suspect Lebanese Lesbian.
I had to laugh at that. When I was very young, back in the early 1960s, we were discussing our ethnic background in school. I kept insisting to my teacher that I was “half Lesbian.” She kept trying to convince me I was not half lesbian - I kept insisting I was. Well, guess it turns out I’m not, but, you know, my mother being Lebanese and all. They were hard words for a little kid to wrap her tongue around.
Anyway.....HERE’S TO THE SUSPECT LEBANESE LESBIAN!!! Many many more happy years, Pam and Kate.
(Hell...I’m probably related to Kate. Every Lebanese person in this country is related somehow. Really).
Congratulations, guys.
You’re gorgeous.
All best wishes.
Happy Anniversary! and many more.
(is four years electrons?)
Woooooooo Hoooooooooo!
Many happy returns to you both.
a couple of years ago I received an email from a reader, a black woman, who said she loved my blog until she visited my wedding page and called me a race traitor and a shame to my race.
If the shoe fits…
Happy anniversary, Pam. I always get choked up reading about/watching the weddings of married/civilly-unioned gay couples in a way I don’t at all over straight marriage. I have no desire to marry, myself, but as a gay woman with mostly gay friendships, this gets me right where I live on both a personal level and political one. I’m so very pleased for you both.
What a cartoon!
Two whales, one a towelhead and the other a BIG FAT MULATTO and they’re both LESBIANS!! Not the cute kind that you might see in Men’s magazines, but the TWO BULLS with a pack a camels rolled up in their sleeves.
(wiping tears from eyes).......Heh, you can’t make this stuff up!!
Page 1 of 1 pages
Commenting is not available in this weblog entry.
Happy anniversary!