By David Zahniser and Phil Willon, Los Angeles Times Staff Writers
June 24, 2008
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa performs a wedding ceremony to a same-sex couple in City Hall on Monday. Bruce Cohen, a Hollywood producer with his partner of five years were married by the mayor. Villaraigosa's ceremony uniting Cohen and art consultant Gabriel Catone was held before a row of cameras and occurred right before the 5 p.m. TV news.
The mayor joined a growing list of political figures who are eagerly officiating gay weddings -- and gambling that championing same-sex marriage will not come at a political cost. Yet Monday's ceremony showed the risks faced by politicians who embrace the issue, which remains controversial among voters.
read more
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Religious Groups Plan Gay Marriage Fight
Religious lobbyists on both sides of the contentious gay-marriage debate are digging in for an all-out battle over Gov. David Paterson's call for state agencies to recognize same-sex marriages from other states.
Opponents of the directive, who feel a particular sense of urgency, are developing long-term strategies to portray gay marriage as a threat to their religious freedom and to keep control of the state Senate in Republican hands.
On Thursday, New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms, an evangelical lobbying group, drew 250 ministers to the Capitol in Albany to promise a relentless fight against Paterson's directive.
"Quite a few pastors came up to me and said, 'When are you scheduling another one?' " said the Rev. Duane Motley, founder and head of New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms. "We're trying to put pressure directly on the governor. If there is a large outcry, a groundswell of public opinion, he might back down. He seems to be letting his staff run his office."
Late last month, it was disclosed that Paterson directed state agencies to recognize gay marriages performed in other states. Same-sex marriage is not legal in New York, but Paterson's decision was based on a February court ruling that a gay couple in Monroe County had the right to equal benefits from a state college.
Paterson's decision also came two weeks after the California Supreme Court overturned that state's ban on same-sex marriage.
Opponents of the directive, who feel a particular sense of urgency, are developing long-term strategies to portray gay marriage as a threat to their religious freedom and to keep control of the state Senate in Republican hands.
On Thursday, New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms, an evangelical lobbying group, drew 250 ministers to the Capitol in Albany to promise a relentless fight against Paterson's directive.
"Quite a few pastors came up to me and said, 'When are you scheduling another one?' " said the Rev. Duane Motley, founder and head of New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms. "We're trying to put pressure directly on the governor. If there is a large outcry, a groundswell of public opinion, he might back down. He seems to be letting his staff run his office."
Late last month, it was disclosed that Paterson directed state agencies to recognize gay marriages performed in other states. Same-sex marriage is not legal in New York, but Paterson's decision was based on a February court ruling that a gay couple in Monroe County had the right to equal benefits from a state college.
Paterson's decision also came two weeks after the California Supreme Court overturned that state's ban on same-sex marriage.
Friday, June 20, 2008
JEWISH COUPLES AND ACTIVISTS TURN OUT FOR CALIFORNIA GAY WEDDINGS
BY STACEY PALEVSKY
Journal of The Jewish Weekly of Northern California
SAN FRANCISCO — Three years ago, Sharon Papo and Amber Weiss stood under a chupah in a Santa Cruz redwood grove and said “I do” in front of 100 relatives and friends.
They stomped on a glass, stood nose to nose wrapped in a tallit and sipped from a Kiddush cup, rituals that sealed them forever. And yet, to the government, their union was invisible.
That changed this week in San Francisco, when they added one word — lawfully — that was absent from their original vows.
“Amber, my beshert, my beloved,” Papo said to Weiss inside San Francisco City Hall. “… I take you to be my lawfully wedded wife.”
Just hours before, Papo and Weiss took their ivory beaded chiffon wedding gowns out of the closet of their Berkeley home, hopped on local transit and walked into San Francisco’s City Hall to exchange vows once more.
This time, they had legal recognition.
read more
Journal of The Jewish Weekly of Northern California
SAN FRANCISCO — Three years ago, Sharon Papo and Amber Weiss stood under a chupah in a Santa Cruz redwood grove and said “I do” in front of 100 relatives and friends.
They stomped on a glass, stood nose to nose wrapped in a tallit and sipped from a Kiddush cup, rituals that sealed them forever. And yet, to the government, their union was invisible.
That changed this week in San Francisco, when they added one word — lawfully — that was absent from their original vows.
“Amber, my beshert, my beloved,” Papo said to Weiss inside San Francisco City Hall. “… I take you to be my lawfully wedded wife.”
Just hours before, Papo and Weiss took their ivory beaded chiffon wedding gowns out of the closet of their Berkeley home, hopped on local transit and walked into San Francisco’s City Hall to exchange vows once more.
This time, they had legal recognition.
read more
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
California Marriage 101
Who can marry?
To be eligible to marry in California, each person in a couple must:
· Be 18 years of age or older (if either or both are younger than 18, different procedures apply)
· Not be closely related by blood or marriage to their intended spouse.
· Not be married to or in a registered domestic partnership or civil union with anyone else. (Please note: Any divorce from a previous marriage, or dissolution of a civil union or domestic partnership with another person, must be final at the time a person applies for a marriage license.)
How do we get a marriage license?
You must apply for a marriage license at the Office of the County Clerk or County Recorder of any California county (it does not need to be to be the county where you live or where you plan to marry).
Some clerks’ offices require that you set up an appointment in advance to apply—call the clerk’s office or visit the clerk’s website to find out more information. (Note: San Francisco County is by appointment only. Licenses will NOT be given on a first-come, first-served basis.)
You can download a license application from most counties’ websites to complete in advance or simply get and complete the form when you visit the County Clerk’s office.
What do we need to bring with us when we apply for a license?
In order to receive a marriage license, both members of the couple must go to the Clerk’s office together and bring:
1. Picture ID
Bring a Driver’s License or other valid government-issued identification. Some counties recommend bringing certified copies of your birth certificates—you can contact the county office you plan to visit in advance to find out if this is recommended. Know your parents’ names, mother’s maiden name, and where your parents were born.
2. Payment
The county clerks charge a fee for issuing the license, and the fee varies by county, but it is generally less than $100. Contact the clerk in the county where you intend to apply to find out how much the fee is and what method of payment—cash, check, or credit card—they will accept.
3. Information about previous marriages
If you have been married before, you will need to provide information about the specific date your last marriage(s) ended as well as how it/they ended (e.g. death, dissolution, divorce, or nullity.) Some counties may require a copy of the final judgment if your previous marriage ended by dissolution or nullity.
Remember, marriage is a serious legal and personal commitment that should not be entered into lightly. Before getting married, couples should educate themselves about the legal consequences of marriage. We advise that you seek individualized legal advice as well. Important Note: Binational couples in which one member does not have permanent legal resident status in this country, anyone serving in the U.S. military, anyone considering adopting a child from another country, and anyone receiving government financial assistance should consult with an attorney with expertise in these areas of law before getting married.
For further information, click here to read the full FAQ's about marriage in California.
I want to extend my personal congratulations to all couples who will be getting married, and wish you much joy and happiness. If you are planning a wedding, the Center has the space and experienced events profesisonals to host a beautiful ceremony or reception. Click here for more information about renting facilities at the Center.
To be eligible to marry in California, each person in a couple must:
· Be 18 years of age or older (if either or both are younger than 18, different procedures apply)
· Not be closely related by blood or marriage to their intended spouse.
· Not be married to or in a registered domestic partnership or civil union with anyone else. (Please note: Any divorce from a previous marriage, or dissolution of a civil union or domestic partnership with another person, must be final at the time a person applies for a marriage license.)
How do we get a marriage license?
You must apply for a marriage license at the Office of the County Clerk or County Recorder of any California county (it does not need to be to be the county where you live or where you plan to marry).
Some clerks’ offices require that you set up an appointment in advance to apply—call the clerk’s office or visit the clerk’s website to find out more information. (Note: San Francisco County is by appointment only. Licenses will NOT be given on a first-come, first-served basis.)
You can download a license application from most counties’ websites to complete in advance or simply get and complete the form when you visit the County Clerk’s office.
What do we need to bring with us when we apply for a license?
In order to receive a marriage license, both members of the couple must go to the Clerk’s office together and bring:
1. Picture ID
Bring a Driver’s License or other valid government-issued identification. Some counties recommend bringing certified copies of your birth certificates—you can contact the county office you plan to visit in advance to find out if this is recommended. Know your parents’ names, mother’s maiden name, and where your parents were born.
2. Payment
The county clerks charge a fee for issuing the license, and the fee varies by county, but it is generally less than $100. Contact the clerk in the county where you intend to apply to find out how much the fee is and what method of payment—cash, check, or credit card—they will accept.
3. Information about previous marriages
If you have been married before, you will need to provide information about the specific date your last marriage(s) ended as well as how it/they ended (e.g. death, dissolution, divorce, or nullity.) Some counties may require a copy of the final judgment if your previous marriage ended by dissolution or nullity.
Remember, marriage is a serious legal and personal commitment that should not be entered into lightly. Before getting married, couples should educate themselves about the legal consequences of marriage. We advise that you seek individualized legal advice as well. Important Note: Binational couples in which one member does not have permanent legal resident status in this country, anyone serving in the U.S. military, anyone considering adopting a child from another country, and anyone receiving government financial assistance should consult with an attorney with expertise in these areas of law before getting married.
For further information, click here to read the full FAQ's about marriage in California.
I want to extend my personal congratulations to all couples who will be getting married, and wish you much joy and happiness. If you are planning a wedding, the Center has the space and experienced events profesisonals to host a beautiful ceremony or reception. Click here for more information about renting facilities at the Center.
Why Marriage Equality is so important.
Since the California Supreme Court overturned the ban on same-sex marriage, there has been a firestorm of controversy over the decision. From the Religious Right's stance that "Marriage is between a man and a woman" to ten other states asking California to reverse their decision and wait until "The people can have their vote on this in November," it seems everyone has a point of view, and, once again, gay women and men are caught in the middle of a religious-themed political agenda.
For more on this article
What's funny about the "Marriage has always been between a man and a woman" statement is that during Medieval Europe, clergy regularly performed same-sex union ceremonies, which were almost identical to heterosexual weddings. The only difference was that the same-sex unions were considered for love, and most of the heterosexual unions were for the joining of two high-powered families.
The Roman soldiers Serge and Bacchus were joined in such a ceremony, and were later pronounced Christian military saints, as were the "paired" saints Perpetua and Felicitas. There's a whole book that concerns the acceptance and sanctification of homosexual relations written by John Boswell called Same-Sex Unions in Premodern Europe.For more on this article
Design: Roof Top Gardens
We recently performed a same-sex ceremony on their rooftop garden. This is a casual, yet elegant way to perform to ceremony without having to book one year in advance!
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