More Wedding Ceremony Bells: Marriage Equality in New York FINALLY

My elation and support ought to be obvious on this issue.  Just in case it is not, below is my official statement.

Religious texts, including the Bible, are full with husbands and wives who defy one another and their contemporary conventions in admired brilliance to keep true to most virtuous ideals of life. This is also true for children and parents, politicians and constituents, employers and employees, as well as between neighbors, relatives, and friends.  Age, gender, power, color, and other markers fade away when the person courageously protects the interests of his or her community in the spirits of charity, love, wisdom, forgiveness, and neighborly affection. World progress, prosperity, and peace depend on the growth of inclusive democracy.

All New Yorkers supporting of marriage equality can be proud of their State legislators, who bravely and smartly agreed to legalize same-sex marriage. For the past few years, New York has recognized such marriages performed elsewhere and granted many rights to the LGBTQ community denied cowardly by other groups and States. Today, New York offered officially a genuine umbrella to shelter queer couples from the familial and political struggles plaguing them for centuries. 

Perhaps even more importantly, the Marriage Equality Bill underscores  our wiser, more complex and fluid understanding of gender and sexuality.

If you’d like to honor this legislation, I am happy to add the prelude below to your ceremony, which I drafted from the opening paragraph to the New York State Marriage Equality Bill.

“Marriage is a fundamental right. Each couple must have the same access to the protections, responsibilities, obligations, and benefits of marriage. Since stable family relationships help build a stronger society, for the welfare of the community and in fairness to all, we must recognize the honorable intentions of any loving couple offering common consent to marry.”

And, yes, folks, this is very personal for Liam and myself.  I’ve obsessed over the news for a week now.  When I married Liam, his FTM status had yet to be revealed.