Marriage Equality Comes to Connecticut!

In an email I received today at 12:39p.m. today...

The Connecticut Supreme Court has ruled in favor of gay and lesbian couples seeking marriage equality under state law! This is obviously a historic and long-awaited day. It's time to celebrate, and to congratulate the courageous couples who brought this case, as well as Love Makes a Family and GLAD, on this incredible victory.

Please come to the state capitol in Hartford for a victory rally at 5:30 p.m. at the north steps of the Capitol, facing Bushnell Park (additional directions below). If you can, please make a sign, and bring your friends, family and a camera.

There will also be a victory party at 7:00 p.m. after the rally. The party will be hosted by LMF and GLAD at the Hilton Hotel in Hartford (315 Trumbull Street). More details will be available at the rally.

I went to that rally and let me tell you, it was electric. I wish Kent could have been there with me but it was a rather long drive for him. For me, I work in East Hartford so it's just across the river. It was somewhat surreal. I honestly thought that we were years away because the legislature was talking that maybe next year they would take it up.

The case came before the Connecticut Supreme Court because of a challenge to the State's civil union law. The court stated in a 4-3 decision that civil unions were not the same as a marriage, and did not hold the same position in society. In essence, there was no compelling reason why we should not be able to be married. The Court sided against the civil union law, and their ruling goes into effect on October 28.

A sharply divided Connecticut Supreme Court ruled Friday that gay couples have the right to get married, saying legislators did not go far enough when they approved same-sex civil unions that were identical to marriages in virtually every respect except the name.

The 4-3 ruling will make Connecticut the third state, behind Massachusetts and California, to allow same-sex marriages, decisions that in all cases were made by the highest state court. The decision marks the first time that a court rejected civil unions as an alternative to granting gay couples the right to marry. [...]

"The Supreme Court has spoken," said Gov. M. Jodi Rell, a Republican who opposes same-sex marriage. "I do not believe their voice reflects the majority of the people of Connecticut. However, I am also firmly convinced that attempts to reverse this decision -- either legislatively or by amending the state Constitution -- will not meet with success."

Same-sex weddings are expected to begin in Connecticut in less than a month. Out-of-staters will be eligible, but few other states are likely to recognize the unions. (source)

Kent wrote me an email at 2:34p.m. The subject was, "Hartford Courant - High Court Grants Gay Marriage Rights". Here were the contents of the email.

Bill,

I just got back from about 4 hours of meetings, and I saw a news alert from the New York Times just before I saw your e-mail. I never thought I'd live to see the day when I could ask

Will you marry me?

Kent

I think I may say, "yes", but don't tell Kent. Wow. I guess our 33 years of dating may be coming to an end in the near future. What a day!