A Place For Us
We would like for this space to be an open forum for discussion and debate on the evolving issue of marriage equality.
Please post your thoughts, opinions, ideas, and personal connections. We really want to hear from you!
State by State
If you scroll down our blog and read some of our postings from earlier this year, it's incredible to see how swiftly our country is moving in the direction of marriage equality. In March, we were so fortunate to be officiated in Southport, Connecticut, by Joette Katz who serves on the State Supreme Court. Shortly after the Connecticut decison, Iowa became the first state in the Midwest to legalize same-sex marriage. The Vermont legislature followed with a similar stance, and...
West Side Story: Broadway Revival
We were lucky enough for our names to be drawn in a nightly lottery for reduced price tickets in the front row. The choreography is superb, and as it turns out, the lead male dancer is Cody Green, the winner of the Bravo reality show from last year, "Step it Up and Dance." We were huge fans of this cheesy show, so we were thrilled to have Cody sweat and spit all over us in the front row! There is a fun bilingual spin on this production, and it works well. Certain...
Senator Schumer: Repeal DOMA
March 23, 2009 —Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) today announced his support for marriage equality for same sex couples and for the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). The announcement followed a meeting on Sunday evening in Manhattan, initiated by Senator Schumer, with a group of New York LGBT elected officials and leaders of the city's largest LGBT organizations, including Empire State Pride Agenda Executive Director Alan Van Capelle.
"I want to thank Sen. Schumer for his...
Our Health Benefits
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/13/us/politics/13benefits.html?_r=1&hp This article from the Times describes an issue that we have faced in our relationship. As a "domestic partner," Jamie was able to enroll in Josh's federal health care program through the Department of Education. However, unlike traditionally married couples, we are taxed for those benefits. It works like this: The health care provider figures out an estimated cost of Jamie's annual benefits...
How Long Must We Wait?
From today's headlines in the NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/13/us/politics/13benefits.html?hp When will the day come when same-sex couples have equal rights on a federal level? Right now federal employees are seeking these rights but: "Now, Mr. Obama is in a tough spot. If he supports the personnel office on denying benefits to the San Francisco court employees, he risks agitating liberal groups that helped him win election. If he supports the judges and...
MILK!!
Sean Penn won the Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to be elected to public office. In his speech, Penn gave a heartfelt shout-out to marriage equality and called the passage of Proposition 8 shameful. Milk also won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. We loved this film, and we are so happy that it won two awards. Hopefully more people will see it. In a post-Oscars press interview, Penn spoke out against anti-gay protesters who had...
Somewhere in the NYC Subways
www.nytimes.com/2009/02/21/nyregion/21about.html?_r=1&hp Leave it to some of our most Jewish friends (thank you Billy and Hannah) to send us a link from today's New York Times about passengers hearing the Westside Story Song "Somewhere" in NYC subways. As the song's lyrics "There is a Place For Us" are a major part of our relationship (i.e. our tattoos!) we are so amazed that this has become a wide spread phenomenon -- (although we are both convinced...
Is New York next?
The silver lining in the Elliot Spitzer debacle was the swearing in of David Patterson as New York governor. He is the second legally blind governor of any U.S. state, but he is certainly not blind to the issues that face the LGBT community. He unequivocally supports marriage equality, and in May of 2008, he issued a directive for New York to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other jurisdictions. Last month he appointed Kirsten Gillibrand, a strong supporter of same-sex marriage,...
