Same-Sex Marriage Milestone
Update 5:30p, June 16: At 5:01, Mayor Newsom began the civil ceremony for long-time partners, Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin, making the two the first same-sex couple to be married in San Francisco City Hall since the California Supreme Court decision took effect. Lyon and Martin were also the first to be married back in 2004 when the city of San Francisco issued licenses for same-sex couples.=====================
On Monday evening, Mayor Gavin Newsom will conduct the first same-sex marriage at San Francisco City Hall. It's a milestone in the realm of civil rights, more than four years after the Mayor ordered the city to issue licenses to same-sex couples. That move ignited both a marriage frenzy and fierce reaction from same-sex marriage opponents.
Now, in the aftermath of the California Supreme Court's ruling -- a long-awaited historical decision -- same-sex couples in California can marry beginning June 16 in some counties, and on June 17 in San Francisco. The San Francisco county clerk's office will open at 8:00am for licenses and ceremonies on the 17th -- and will stay open until 8:00pm. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, officials can issue up to 250 licenses and conduct 500 marriages each day.
See the Chronicle's full rundown of licenses, ceremonies and hours in other Bay Area counties: Same Sex Marriage Plans Around the Bay Area.
Also check out this previous post for more details on how to make a reservation for a marriage license (online), with links to the County Clerk's online FAQ for same-sex couples.
Photo © Jeff Belmonte - Flickr Creative Commons
Comments
My congratulations to those two women. As a longtime homosexual in a seven year relationship with my lover “Tom S.” I know how hard it is to be a proud, committed, open gay man when living in a red state like Georgia.
I hope my man and I can be together as long as those two women have been.
Ted baehr