UK #1
Drum roll, please.
The first same-sex wedding in the UK goes to...lesbians Shannon Sickels and Grainne Close, married in Belfast City Hall in Northern Ireland Monday. One additional female couple and one male couple were also married. They were met by groups of protestors.
Close: "We just want to say that this is a very privileged position we are in this morning, and for us this is about making a choice."
Sickels: "This is about making a choice to have our civil rights acknowledged and respected and protected, and we could not be here without the hard work of many queer activists and many individuals from the queer community."
The ceremony featured a recording of Dolly Parton's "Touch Your Woman."
Spreading the holiday cheer.
Homophobia for Dummies.
But bring back my pants first, please.
Always a bridesmaid, finally, now, a bride.
ADDENDUM: As I was reminded in the comments section, the first same-sex civil partnership did take place earlier this month when a gay couple was given special dispensation to marry because one of them was battling cancer. Unfortunately, that man passed the following day. These weddings in Belfast are, however, the first to take place as the laws take effect for the general public.
Posted Dec. 19,2005 at 11:47 AM EST by Andy Towle in Gay Marriage | Permalink
"Always a bridesmaid, finally, now, a bride" - Wicked! Brilliant!
Posted by: max | Dec 19, 2005 12:15:48 PM
That must be a typo. it should say "Sodomy is IN" This is 2005, not 25 A.D.
Posted by: MT | Dec 19, 2005 12:37:36 PM
It's been the top news item here in the UK. Most of the responses to the networks' polls have been positive. I'm sure in a year or so's time no-one (apart from a few nutcases) will be in the slightest bit bothered. Afterall the world did not end when the age of consent was lowered or when gays were allowed to adopt. People tend to move on very quickly.
Posted by: MJW | Dec 19, 2005 12:59:31 PM
No, not the first - the first was on the 6th Dec, where a couple gained a dispensation to marry without the usual wait as one partner was dying. Details here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/southern_counties/4505010.stm
I think it's pretty sad that they've been forgotten already. Twelve days. Is that how short the media's attention is?
Posted by: Alan | Dec 19, 2005 2:17:32 PM
My predecessor and i were to have been married but when our handlers caught wind out it they put JP2 to sleep... not wanting the same treatment... i now obey my handlers.
Posted by: HisHolynessDPope | Dec 19, 2005 2:27:52 PM
Important story... Fugly ass people...
Posted by: mean | Dec 19, 2005 3:56:50 PM
and furthermore...
that apple ad smack in the middle pisses me off...love apple.. not in my blog though. What next pop ups... This sight is getting very popular i hope it maintains the editors sensibilities.
i may cancel my subscription !
Posted by: mean | Dec 19, 2005 4:03:28 PM
site
Posted by: mean | Dec 19, 2005 4:15:32 PM
Don't the Brits know everyone thinks they're all gay, anyway?
Oh. This was Ireland. Sorry. But aren't they all drunks over there, anyway?
Posted by: Giacomo | Dec 19, 2005 4:56:57 PM
Commonwealth Countries
Canada: Gay Marriage
UK and New Zealand: Civil Unions
Australia: Constitution ammended to ban gay marriage in all states.
...
Posted by: Roland | Dec 19, 2005 5:50:46 PM
Dear Giacomo and Mean:
Great comments. Such wit! And so appropriate for what is, in fact, an historic occasion in the history of the LGBT civil rights movement.
To my UK brothers and sisters - apologies on behalf of Giacomo and Mean, who apparently forgot to take their grown-up pills this morning.
Congratulations to all the newlyweds!
Posted by: JOE | Dec 19, 2005 6:39:13 PM
Joe you are absolutely right it is a massively important moment in LGBT history in fact i think it may be just as important as when the gay one in a boy band finally comes out.
I have to say that i always worry about how society will change with events like this. This is supposed to give us equal rights and i think to some extent it will but I feel the reasons behind why a lot of people i know who wanted this were not backed up by anything concrete. When someone said to me "if the straights can get married we should be able to as well" I almost flipped because if you just think about it, that is saying they have it i want it too which is very close to simple minded ideas like I'm not gay why should you be -- QUEER, do you understand, the straights at large do not understand much beyond the simple dynamics of being gay and some not even that so we cant expect them to know what the LGBT community wants in terms of massive social change. My point is (well not too sure now) we expect a lot as a community, some of us lobby for change ourselves and others hang around in gay bars waiting for the world to finally accept them whilst bitching about it the whole time. We expect a lot from today's society we may be stereotyped in film and television but we are not represented in a way that highlights the normality of being gay and not the novelty. Rant over now sorry.
Posted by: David | Dec 19, 2005 7:50:11 PM
where is this community
lgbt ,,, god i hate these acronyms..
Posted by: mean | Dec 20, 2005 3:05:27 AM
where is this community
lgbt ,,, god i hate these acronyms..
Posted by: mean | Dec 20, 2005 3:06:55 AM
"Give me liberty or give me death!" -- Patrick Henry
Most who read those words don't stop to think of whatever became of Patrick Henry.
He's dead.
Posted by: HisHolynessDPope | Dec 20, 2005 5:32:17 AM
MEAN - I think perhaps you should be a little more sensitive to the issue. There are people in this world who although not cavorting with the "LGBT" community, cling to the fact that it is officially and widely recognised not only for their own identity but others who they can identify with. But then again maybe you were joking and my British humour is not quite up to the mark.
Posted by: David | Dec 20, 2005 2:36:50 PM
I could not agree.. More
I just dislike being lumped with Lesbians trans whatevas...any group. We are so different but..
I do belong to AF .
At the end of the day i embrace all my brothers and sistas... as long as its on my terms.. damn im an ass.
Posted by: mean | Dec 20, 2005 5:16:08 PM
You know when people type LOL on the web it annoys me because they probably didn't laugh out loud, but i just did so, LOL. Your not mean at all really are you, your a big softy. I have to say that i have no idea what "AF" is or should be but I think i feel the sentiment.
P.s. if you wanna see some English idiot at a work Christmas party check out my site.
Posted by: David | Dec 20, 2005 6:50:29 PM
rest it
u just dont give it a rest at all do u?
it gets annoying after a while.
the worlds not all shite u know.
say somthin nice 1nc in a while.
see how it feels. lates
Posted by: ura nagger | Dec 20, 2005 11:59:29 PM