As pagan clergy in the state of NY, where same sex marriage/life partnership is not legal, I officiated a ceremony with my husband, for a gay couple: a former student of ours and his fiance, last August. They have been married nearly a year....time flies.
Neither could we nor would we refuse, even though it was not legal. At least their relationship has been acknowledged and supported by loved ones and by the sacred realms. It was a humbling privilege to support them in our role.
It must at some point be validated legally, as a generally human need for homo-and-hetero alike, to have the option to marry with all legal responsibilities and benefits of that marriage, in the US. It is a human rights issue.
Long term homosexual couples living monogamously has always and will continue to occur, and there will always be people like my husband and myself, and scads of others who will be willing to bless and support it for the good thing that it is. To have the right to build a life and family together legally, with all rights and benefits and obligations as others who marry, would only be fair and right.
I pray for the day when we too, in the US will progress to show less fear and more compassion for the ones of our human family whom we have, by preserving ignorance, estranged- such as, but not limited to, our gay brothers and sisters.
...and kama'aina mama...you ask the question that many are thinking...thanks for giving it eloquent voice.
...Joyce in the mts.
