It’s finally happened ~ same sex marriages are now legal in California! I’d be seriously disgusted that it took this bloody long to become legal here, but I’ve decided to just be happy about it. And, I’m also pleased that I haven’t seen as much on the outrage front as one would expect. Everyone just seems happy. I’m not saying it’s not being apposed, but even at the fist marriage ceremony yesterday, the protesters remained quite.

A couple ~ THE couple actually ~ the two women who’d helped to get the ban in California over-turned ~ were the first two to be married in the Los Angeles area; getting their licence just after 5 pm and having their wedding on the court house steps. No, I wasn’t invited, but these two tough women allowed their wedding ceremony to be broadcast live on the news. It really was a beautiful thing and I couldn’t help but to cry as I watched the Rabbi preside over these two people who’ve fought so hard for something that should simply be a right for everyone, everywhere.

And, the beauty continued in San Francisco as two women in their 80’s were the first to exchange vows there. Those lovely women have been life partners for 50 years! That just blows my mind, but more than that, it seems outrages that two people who’ve devoted their lives to each other should have to wait 50 years in order to have God already approved of! To have what I am more and more considering to be a simple thing. I can only imagine what it’s been like for them and others. At it’s heart, to be married is only a legal issue ~ for US. But, for them it’s so much more.

Sure, there have been plenty of non-legal commitment ceremonies and plenty who’ve taken advantage of becoming domestic partners in order to get life insurance, company sponsored medical benefits and in the worst case scenario, to make sure their partners would be considered next of kin if they should die. But, would I be ok with either of those things if it were my only choice? I doubt it. Trying to put myself in their shoes, I can only imagine that I’d want the respect for my union that everyone else has.

One thing that has surprised me is reading how bakeries had, in the past, refused to make cakes for the commitment ceremonies the gay community had before the ban was over-turned. In an article I read the other day, an infamous West Hollywood bakery owner was quoted as saying customers would phone in orders to other places, but when they turned up in person to finalize the deal were told “We don’t do THOSE kinds of cakes!”. Um, what exactly are THOSE kinds of cakes??? Hey, money don’t know race OR gender!
But, that crap is all in the past now and shops all over LA are flying banners welcoming the kings and queens to plan their weddings there. BUT, the fight is still not over!

Come November the groups fighting this will be out in full force to vote to make marriage defined as between a man and a woman. No one knows how it will effect the marriages that take place from now til then, but it’s possible that they could be nullified! But, even if they aren’t it’d still be a step back into the stone age if the Religious groups and the other haters get their way. Each and every California resident needs to make sure this issue is considered as important as the Presidential race!

As it stood before yesterday, we had only one state where Gay marriage were legal and that’s an embarrassment and an insult to all of us as human beings. I have never understood the big deal. I really don’t! I’ve even known of people who have no issue with someone being gay, but feel threatened by the idea of them getting married! Crazy! They actually feel that allowing homosexuals to become married would take the spotlight from the straights. And, just a moment ago I watched an affluent looking woman explain to a reporter that it should be made illegal because “They already have their Commitment Ceremony-whatever!”. Lord, how disgusting! Grow the fuck up you ignorant, selfish, it’s-all-about-me bitch! Cuz here’s the bottom line ~ marriage isn’t special anymore and hasn’t been for a very long time! The truth of it is that divorce is just as big a business as marriage! Marriage is so taken for granted among the straight community that no one bats an eye when weddings between complete strangers take place. No one actually views marriage as a life long commitment anymore and the divorce rate proves that. Today and for the following weeks and months we’ll see marriages between people who have already been committed for longer than I’ve been alive!

So, what we’ll find in the coming years is marriage becoming special again because of the unions between people who truly love each other and are making this public commitment for the right reasons! And, I really believe that these ignorant and selfish people need to ask themselves why they’ve gotten married. Perhaps saying the words out loud ~ “I got married so that we could proclaim our love and commitment publicly before our friends and God” might shake some of those folks from their ignorance. Even that blonde haired bitch might realize that they want a real marriage for the same reasons that she did! But, the fear and jealousy could come from an even more ignorant place ~ that these people don’t really know what marriage means! That would be my guess! That they just don’t have a bloody clue and could not give a real, valid reason for their own marriage! At least the stance of the Catholic church is that marriage should be between a man and a woman because to them, the ONLY reason for marriage is to make babies! I don’t agree with it, but it somehow seems less evil than jealousy! I mean really ~ once the wedding day passes all brides become just another married woman in a sea of married’s, so GROW UP!

So, California residents ~ vote to make sure this stays legal! And, even if you’re on the fence or one of those who doesn’t want a gay couple to steal your thunder ~ at the very least consider this ~ the flood of weddings that will take place due to it will actually flood our state in MONEY. The revenue generated by same sex marriages has already been predicted to reach into the high, high millions within a few years. So, do the right thing! If you have ever been in love or are currently married, ask yourself why you made that choice. Ask yourself why you chose to marry the person you share your bed with. You’ll find that your reasons are not only the same as theirs, but that they actually revere marriage more than most. We take it for granted because it’s an easy option for us, akin to getting a drivers license. Hell, it’s my legal right to meet a guy today and choose from various locations throughout the country to marry him tomorrow! So, uh, we could really take a cue from the men and women who’ve made the type of commitment that so many of us treat as folly. And, to be honest with you, seeing all that I’ve been seeing on the news has bolstered my faith in love and the idea of marriage forever!

Today I’m proud! Today I feel like a proud American! Today I feel like the sacrament of marriage is seeing a return to being sacred! Hell, today I feel more confident that real, true love can last forever!

Let’s keep it legal California! Join me in campaigning for this vote! We all need to band together and make sure we keep California the diverse and socially active place that it’s always been!