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365Gay.com Newscenter
17 May 2004
The city of Cambridge, Massachusetts, Monday became the first community in America to issue marriage license forms to same-sex couples.
Cambridge Mayor Michael Sullivan threw open the doors of city hall about 10 p.m. Sunday night and invited dozens of same-sex couples into the building for a celebration to countdown the minutes until midnight.
There was a three-tiered wedding cake, pastries, and to wash it down, sparkling cider and coffee.
The Cambridge Community Chorus, the Greater Boston Lesbian Chorus, and a choir made up of children from several Cambridge elementary schools performed.
Couples were given numbers as they entered the second floor reception room. At the stroke of midnight, the first number was called.
Marcia Hams, 56, and her partner, Susan Shepherd, 52, entered the history books as the first same-sex couple in America to legally wed. The couple arrived at city hall 24 hours earlier just to be able to claim the honor.
As the women were handed their marriage applications Hams said she was nervous.
"I'm shaking so much," she said as she filled out the form. "I could collapse at this point."
As each couple was given the forms to fill out, the line grew longer.
Across the Charles River hundreds of people formed a long line in front of Boston city hall. The clerk's office there will open at 8:30 a.m.
Extra police have been called in to deal with crowds. A special information booth been set up outside city hall where couples will be given numbers to mark the order in which they'll be served. Inside the building about 20 city workers wearing "welcome" badges will be available to answer questions.
In addition, the city has printed 3,000 full-color brochures, which will include a letter of congratulation from Mayor Thomas M. Menino and instructions on how to obtain marriage licenses.
The brochures will contain information on how to get the three-day waiting period for a marriage license waived by a probate court judge, on finding justices of the peace to perform weddings, and on getting to city and town halls in Boston's suburbs if Boston finds itself backed up.
Boston had considered ignoring a directive from Governor Mitt Romney to restrict marriage to Massachusetts residents but at the last minute, after advice from the city's legal department decided to abide by the governor's instruction.
Nevertheless, three communities, Provincetown, Somerville, and Worcester say they will grant licenses to out-of-state gay couples.
Boston Archbishop Sean O'Malley called on Catholics to remember the church is opposed to same-sex marriage, but he called on people not to protest on Monday.
In a pastoral letter O'Malley said "I remind all Catholics that our sadness at what has happened should not lead us into anger against or vilification of any group of people, especially our homosexual brothers and sisters."
O'Malley has also warned priests not to perform gay marriages.
The Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts also said its priests should not officiate at gay weddings.
Reconstructionist Judaism, Reform Judaism, the Unitarian Universalist Association and the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches have endorsed gay marriages. Other denominations have left the decision regarding same-sex marriages to individual clergy.
The final legal threat to gay marriage was overcome Friday when the US Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal from conservatives who called for an injunction to block same-sex marriages. With no more legal obstacles left, the state will become the first to legally wed gay couples.
Even Gov. Romney a foe of same-sex marriage says he would like to attend a gay wedding.
Romney says he was invited to one marriage of gay friends, but won't be in town at the time. He says he anticipates more invitations, and that he'll accept some and will be unable to accept others.
Romney supports an amendment to the Massachusetts constitution defining marriage as the union of a man and woman.
But he says he respects the rule of law.
http://www.cnn.com/2004/LAW/05/17/samesex.marriage.ap/index.html
this puts some of my faith back into humanity. i think its a great thing to allow everyone the right to marriage. a catholic bishop is even announcing to the catholic community that they should not protest this right.
17 May 2004
The city of Cambridge, Massachusetts, Monday became the first community in America to issue marriage license forms to same-sex couples.
Cambridge Mayor Michael Sullivan threw open the doors of city hall about 10 p.m. Sunday night and invited dozens of same-sex couples into the building for a celebration to countdown the minutes until midnight.
There was a three-tiered wedding cake, pastries, and to wash it down, sparkling cider and coffee.
The Cambridge Community Chorus, the Greater Boston Lesbian Chorus, and a choir made up of children from several Cambridge elementary schools performed.
Couples were given numbers as they entered the second floor reception room. At the stroke of midnight, the first number was called.
Marcia Hams, 56, and her partner, Susan Shepherd, 52, entered the history books as the first same-sex couple in America to legally wed. The couple arrived at city hall 24 hours earlier just to be able to claim the honor.
As the women were handed their marriage applications Hams said she was nervous.
"I'm shaking so much," she said as she filled out the form. "I could collapse at this point."
As each couple was given the forms to fill out, the line grew longer.
Across the Charles River hundreds of people formed a long line in front of Boston city hall. The clerk's office there will open at 8:30 a.m.
Extra police have been called in to deal with crowds. A special information booth been set up outside city hall where couples will be given numbers to mark the order in which they'll be served. Inside the building about 20 city workers wearing "welcome" badges will be available to answer questions.
In addition, the city has printed 3,000 full-color brochures, which will include a letter of congratulation from Mayor Thomas M. Menino and instructions on how to obtain marriage licenses.
The brochures will contain information on how to get the three-day waiting period for a marriage license waived by a probate court judge, on finding justices of the peace to perform weddings, and on getting to city and town halls in Boston's suburbs if Boston finds itself backed up.
Boston had considered ignoring a directive from Governor Mitt Romney to restrict marriage to Massachusetts residents but at the last minute, after advice from the city's legal department decided to abide by the governor's instruction.
Nevertheless, three communities, Provincetown, Somerville, and Worcester say they will grant licenses to out-of-state gay couples.
Boston Archbishop Sean O'Malley called on Catholics to remember the church is opposed to same-sex marriage, but he called on people not to protest on Monday.
In a pastoral letter O'Malley said "I remind all Catholics that our sadness at what has happened should not lead us into anger against or vilification of any group of people, especially our homosexual brothers and sisters."
O'Malley has also warned priests not to perform gay marriages.
The Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts also said its priests should not officiate at gay weddings.
Reconstructionist Judaism, Reform Judaism, the Unitarian Universalist Association and the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches have endorsed gay marriages. Other denominations have left the decision regarding same-sex marriages to individual clergy.
The final legal threat to gay marriage was overcome Friday when the US Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal from conservatives who called for an injunction to block same-sex marriages. With no more legal obstacles left, the state will become the first to legally wed gay couples.
Even Gov. Romney a foe of same-sex marriage says he would like to attend a gay wedding.
Romney says he was invited to one marriage of gay friends, but won't be in town at the time. He says he anticipates more invitations, and that he'll accept some and will be unable to accept others.
Romney supports an amendment to the Massachusetts constitution defining marriage as the union of a man and woman.
But he says he respects the rule of law.
http://www.cnn.com/2004/LAW/05/17/samesex.marriage.ap/index.html
this puts some of my faith back into humanity. i think its a great thing to allow everyone the right to marriage. a catholic bishop is even announcing to the catholic community that they should not protest this right.