When Michael McConnell and Jack Baker were married in 1970, the American Psychiatric Association still considered homosexuality a “mental disorder.” It wasn’t until three years after their union that the APA finally removed it from the official list of disorders.
Of course, same-sex marriage was nowhere close to being legalized. But Jack, who was an aspiring lawyer at the time, was determined. So he found a legal loophole that allowed for the couple to be legally wed.
In 2016, the guys wrote about their incredible story in The Wedding Heard ‘Round The World. Now, on the eve of the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, they sat down with Global News to talk about their 48 years together and what it’s like being the longest-married same-sex couple in the United States at such a historic time during the LGBTQ movement.
Watch.
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Cam
Wow, how have we never heard of this couple! True pioneers!
TomG
My partnet & I have been together going on 31 years (September) and no one knows us either.
iron
he found a legal loophole that allowed for the couple to be legally wed..
this is interesting? why did it take 50 years to become legal?
James57
The reason it took 50 years for same sex marriage to become legal is because of the American Christian Taliban and their propaganda. Here are a few examples of the lies they were/are spreading: (1) If same sex marriage becomes legal, God will destroy America; (2) If same sex marriage is legalized, the human race will become extinct because gays cannot reproduce; (3) If same sex marriage becomes legal, gays will begin adopting children and indoctrinating them into their lifestyle; (4) If same sex marriage becomes legal, there will be no way to protect our society from these predators. And of course, these sensationalist threats were followed by “send us your contributions today so that we can fight to keep America the way God intended it to be”. THAT is why it took 50 years.
snuggles65
Cam,
Want to know why you have NEVER heard of these pioneers?? The real reason is that they are OLD & that as gay persons, we accept everything from the Gay Media. They want us ALL to be 25 year old white males , who have to look porn ready at ALL TIMES or we are nothing (& then thought of as 2nd class gay people), who spend every moment in the gym as their social life, & spend ourselves into debt with products trying to keep us younger. We throw away gay people once they hit about 50 yrs old like they are some kind of disease. Has been that way since I came out in 1985. VERY SAD comment on us , it really is.
azjeff17
Bitter? Table for one.
evanxx
You’re 100% right! Older LGBT gay rights activists & pioneers get kicked to the side of the road by ignorant & insensitive jerks like azjeff17. I always preferred being with men who were older than me because they were experienced & skilled between the sheets. Younger guys were too clumsy & selfish. Congrats to these two men who learned how to keep the fire going for decades!
azjeff17 _ You can go sit in the corner until you grow up.
TxCudlr
Agree with you on every word, snuggles!!!!! But, i guess those of us that get treated THAT way, can take some comfort & solace that some of “those” people that are haters of people that they deem “less than them”, end up at some point not being happy with themselves for some reason, unhappy with or bored with their relationship, end up being alone, start taking & getting hooked on drugs, lose their jobs, lose their possessions/home & status w/ their family, friends and/or gay community, & THEN sometimes realize that they have become the very people that they made fun of, ridiculed, or looked down on.
Kangol2
Such a brave, inspiring, amazing couple, and congrats to them both!
gaym50ish
I don’t know where you folks have been, but we have been hearing about this couple since the marriage-equality debates began in earnest with the Massachusetts marriages in 2004. The fact that you were oblivious does not have anything to do with ageism. The two men were young when they were married, and their case has been discussed openly MANY times.
Kangol2
Not everyone accesses the same news sources or may be as plugged in as you, though Queerty has written about them at least four times counting this article. But whenever people learn about them and other gay rights pioneers and trailblazers, it’s a good thing, isn’t it?
Terry
Hooray for Michael and Jack. There are plenty of us who have been around as couples for many years. I met my partner-now-husband in 1985. We married after 24 years, in 2008, before the Supreme Court officially sanctioned gay marriage. That simple, official act of having our love recognized through the legal covenant of marriage made our relationship stronger.
Condor221
My thanks to the state of Massachusetts, who allowed us to get married in a church by an old catholic Priest. We’ve been a couple for 43 years and a married couple 11 years. All it took was the Commonwealth to get rid of that old Mormon,
roddy
Sounds familiar….there’s lots of us around. I’ve been with my hubby for almost 45 years.
Tensilon
Jack and Michael, it has been many years since we talked at the U of Minnesota! From the days of FREE and much water under the bridge! You were and remain, for me, a role model that few could challenge! Thank you for your kind words so many years ago. I went on to become a physician and my lover of 41.5 years and I thank you both for your vision and action! Congratulations again!
rparnell44
God bless you both and my wish for many more years.
enlightenone
Cheers!
TheGregoryProject
Thanks for running this story Global News Canada. #loveislove #proudcanadian
Bryguyf69
Bravo to this couple, and I wish them many more years ahead. With that out of the way, i have a serious albeit relevant question. What the heck is a Masters in Library Science??? I can’t even imagine a BA or BS in the subject, much less a Masters. What do you have to learn besides the Dewey Decimal system, and how to use a database (whether it be index cards and microfiche in his day, or a computer today)? As for a Masters and the science part, is there actually active research in the field? I assume that it’s a dying or dead field, given the self-service Internet and ebooks. I mean, when was the last time you visited the library? And even when you did, were the services of a librarian required? What exactly do they do besides shelve books, direct patrons, shush people, and collect fines and fees?
Bourgeois Pig
Did you attend college? Did you not visit your college campus library? I have a friend who rec’d his Masters in Library Science from Stanford. He’s worked with several libraries nationwide helping to improve them, in addition to consulting with a few universities. Not to mention he also earns approx $400K+ doing so. FYI, “There is a principle… which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance- that principle is contempt prior to investigation.” – H.Spencer
Walker
There is nothing wrong with being ignorant, but being so loud about it is embarrassing.
The Dewey decimal system? Apparently the last time you were anywhere near a library you were 8 years old.
ohbear
Congratulations to the both of you. Happy Anniversary of being together for so long. I remember being a very young teen in a suburb of St. Paul, Minnesota when you both got your marriage license and got married and it made an impression on me. Thanks for being a positive role model for a very young little gay to be teen. Hugs. Paul
Dunedain
What a handsome couple.
Wish them all the best …together … forever!
rcblue73
Believe it or get out of here, McConnell and Baker were featured in a Look magazine article way back when, written about them and their life in Minnesota in fact, I think the same black and white photo was used in the article. Took an awful lot of guts back in the early 70s to be that much in the spotlight.
Celtic
Congratulations to the once young and restless and determined. Having “come out” 51 years ago, I know the struggles and the fears. These chaps are to be praised. They are Blessed.