Hundreds line up for licenses as the state becomes the sixth to recognize same-sex marriage. Gay rights advocates hope the event spurs a larger push for equality.
There were the usual wedding-day jitters, tears and hiccups. One groom's leg twitched nervously. Rings had to be squeezed onto fingers swollen to sausage-like proportions from the heat and humidity. A name or two got jumbled, and witnesses were corralled at the last minute to validate some of the ceremonies.
There were even a few objectors, but none loud enough to be heard by hundreds of gay and lesbian couples Sunday as they married in chapels and courtrooms, beneath chuppahs and shade trees, even alongside Niagara Falls as New York became the sixth state to recognize same-sex weddings.
From the satin gowns and tailored tuxedos to the jangled nerves and champagne toasts, those marrying and those officiating said the ceremonies showed that gay, lesbian, transgender and bisexual love is no different from anyone else's. But nobody could deny that these vows signified more than just weddings. They were the beginning of what gay rights advocates hope is a renewed push for marriage equality now that New York has become the most populous state to legalize same-sex marriage.
"It was a privilege to be part of this achievement in civil rights," said New York City Clerk Michael McSweeney, who presided over the city's first same-sex wedding, between 76-year-old Phyllis Siegel and 85-year-old Connie Kopelov.
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Complete article at LA Times : http://lat.ms/mWwJ1a
