The Big Apple (does anyone even say that anymore?) has been letting you gays register as domestic partners for nearly two decades. But next month, even without state recognition of same-sex marriage, the City Clerk’s office is going to begin letting you get fake married!
The fun begins June 3, when all five boroughs will begin offering “marriage-like ceremonies” to gay couples. But we recommend “the recently revamped $12 million Manhattan marriage office at 141 Worth St., just north of City Hall,” because hey, if the build it, we should come.
[NYDN]
rf
They want tourism dollars without the full equal rights and benefits? Call city hall, tell them you appreciate the guesture but that you are booking your wedding in Greenwich or Stamford Connecticut instead. If they want to do something good–follow New Paltz and San Fran and declare the marriages valid until forced to stop.
MB
The celebratory ceremony is not just for gays, it’s available to *all* of NYC’s domestic partnerships, 70% of which last year were between straight people.
jason
Do not under any circustances fall for this patronizing ploy from Bloomberg. It’s a load of crap designed to make us feel “included” when in fact we are being marginalized and minimized by the New York legal system.
As far as I’m concerned, Bloomberg can fuck off and New York can fuck off too. We’ll get married in states that truly love us – like Connecticut, Massachusetts and conservative Iowa.
jason
Just following on from my previous post, isn’t it amazing that conservative little Iowa is more progressive than New York on gay marriage rights? It’s a case study in how conservatives can be more fair and gay-friendly than liberals.
The real problem is that New York gays are hell-bent on hedonistic lifestyles. Instead of gay activism, all they’re interested in is the gay sauna or Central Park after midnight. They set a poor example for gay people in early adulthood who are coming to terms with their sexuality.
When your life becomes a ceaseless quest for orgasms, you morph into a brain-dead zombie such as the ones you see near closing time in pick-up bars.
Mike in Asheville, nee "in Brooklyn"
While living in NYC a few years ago, my husband and I traveled to Cape Cod and were married in Chapman. We cut back on the wedding, skipped a reception and instead had dinner with our witnesses, and stayed a week at the Chapman Bar Inn — all in all a great time. We sent the “saved” $3500 to the No on 8 campaign.
Back in New York, is was truly quite amazing that we faced no hurdles having our marriage recognized, we re-title our car, health insurance, apartment coverage, etc. all without a hitch. It is somewhat surreal that NY state will recognize same-sex marriages of New York resident performed outside the state while precluding the performance of marriages within the state.
While Bloomberg and NYC are clearly in favor of allowing same-sex marriage, fake ceremonies are just that, fake. But don’t punish yourselves by not getting married (if that is your desire), Chapman, and I am sure many other wonderful places, will treat you with courtesy, respect, and happy to take your wedding/honeymoon business.
Eric
@jason: Um, Bloomberg doesn’t have the authority to legalize same-sex marriage in New York.
Lauren
Bloomberg has been one of the largest financial contributors to all those Republicans who ran & won in the NY State Senate and NY State Assembly the past several years – the body that recently voted NO on Marriage Equality in NY.
To some extent New Yorkers can thank Michael Bloomberg for the fact that we do not have Marriage Equality here.
Also, Mayor Bloomberg has been on record FOR YEARS as against same-sex marriage. Bloomberg switched his position to Yes on Marriage Equality last Spring as he was gearing up to run for re-election for a Third Term and needed the Gay vote. His opponent, Democrat Bill Thompson, was already pro-Marriage Equality. Bloomberg bought the Gay vote (and everyone else’s vote) by spending over $100 million dollars on his re-election campaign. Too bad so few New Yorkers really understand how much Michael Bloomberg has hurt the LGBT community.
Wade MacMorrighan
How insulting! personally, I think that such events should be picketed, with staged events, etc. to show that we want and DESERVE to be REALLY legally married! After all, what SENSE does it make for a state to declare it’ll RECOGNIZE a legal marriage performed in another state, but not actually allow its residents to actually marry?
jack
#4 Sauna and central park after midnight? You’re obviously quite old because neither of those to things exist.
#7 You’re really talking without knowing anything. Bloomberg has always been for same-sex marriage. He lobbied the republicans extensively for same sex marriage. He refused to pull a ploy and marry people like Gavin Newsom because he didn’t want those marriages to be voided. He actually cares!
The #1 enemy of marriage equality in NY state is christian fundamentalist (and democrat) Ruben Diaz, head of the State Senate. Look it up!
Lauren
#9 Jack
This are the facts as written in Gay City News and many other places. Michael Bloomberg has probably done more to hurt Marriage Equality in NY than any other single person:
Saying Mayor Bloomberg’s actions on gay marriage “are at sharp odds with his words,” NYC’s sole remaining LGBT newsweekly, Gay City News, has endorsed City Comptroller Bill Thompson for mayor. One of the reasons for the snub of Bloomberg is his support for upstate Republicans who may have blocked progress on marraige equality.
Bloomberg has contributed nearly $3.4 million to support the state Republican and Independence Parties, the bulk of those dollars directly funding State Senate Republican incumbents, at a time when that party’s majority refused to bring marriage equality to a floor vote.
A $1.2 million Bloomberg contribution to the Independence Party last year was used to support the three most stridently anti-gay Republican senators. The mayor’s support for one of them, Frank Padavan of Queens, helped him squeak out a victory over Democratic City Councilman James Gennaro, a vocal supporter of equal marriage rights.
Once again Mike Bloomberg is talking out of both sides of his mouth. The fact of the matter is Mike will stand up in press conferences and talk the talk but at the end of the day he never walks the walk. Mike Bloomberg has consistently supported the Republican Party and its anti-gay marriage agenda. As far as I know, the mayor hasn’t been in on any discussions with Senate Democrats or with Senate Republicans on strategy for getting marriage passed. There have been people involved with his administration that I’ve talked with and others may have spoken to, but I don’t know of the mayor personally speaking to anyone.” – Openly gay NY state Sen. Thomas Duane, talking to Paul Schindler at Gay City News.