When straight twentysomethings Adrienne Baker and Austin Vitt got married in August they wanted to honor the LGBT community’s struggle to do the same. So they donned white wrist ribbons, the symbol of the marriage-equality campaign White Knot.But the couple wanted to do more. So, as The New York Times reports, they asked their officiant to read from a court case rather than Scripture. It was Goodridge v. Department of Public Health, the first verdict by a state supreme court (Massachusetts’) to affirm same-sex couples had the right to marry:
“Without the right to choose to marry,” the officiant, Julie Maxwell, intoned, “one is excluded from the full range of human experience.” In other words, as the court concluded in the 2003 decision, same-sex marriage is a legal and civil right.
Adrienne says though she as over the moon about getting married, “I was completely conscious of the fact that there were people who can’t be excited about being engaged and waving around their ring. And we need to acknowledge that inequality.”
Cheers to the couple who actually gave a gift.
Geoff B
What a wonderful gesture! This reminds me of my stepmother’s niece’s wedding. My partner and I were surprised that during the ceremony the minister asked for prayers that one day soon same sec couples would achieve marriage equality. I mentioned this to my Stepmom and she said the bride and groom actually went out of their way to find a minister who was willing to do that for their gay family and friends. People like them as well as the couple in this story reaffirm my faith in humanity and I wish them all the love and happiness in the world. BTW, my stepcousin is expecting now, and wether their child winds up being straight or gay, I can’t imagine two better parents to raise him (it’s gonna be a boy).