CONGRATULATIONS VERMONT! Marriage Equality Kicks In At Midnight

Sometimes it gets depressing writing this blog. And I get readers telling me it can be depressing reading it. Why? Because it's either news from the opposition attempting to take us down, or it's about more work we need to accomplish in order to gain or protect the rights we should already have.

But this post is different. I get to report:

LGBT VERMONTERS CAN BEGIN MARRYING AT MIDNIGHT TONIGHT!

Congratulations to all of you in Vermont!

Back in April, the state legislature made history by not only passing a marriage equality bill, being the first state to legalize marriage equality without being ordered to by a court, but they also conquered the governor's veto of the bill by garnering enough votes to overturn it.

Reports have stated that many couples are not rushing to the altar, but given that Vermont was the first to enact civil unions almost ten years ago, many couples may not feel the need to rush but wait until their anniversary rolls around. On top of that, it's been five months since the passage of the marriage equality bill and the fervor for an immediate wedding has past, as well as Vermont's wedding season, which is in the summer.

This, in my opinion, just undermines the opposition's arguments that marriage equality will destroy the institution of marriage and ruin heterosexual unions - we're not a massive "homosexual contingent" flooding the clerk offices to flaunt our love lives. We take getting married seriously and don't rush the altar at the first chance we get.

And if we do, WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO! The 18,000 couples who got married in California took no time to tie the knot when it was legal. They deserved it. And those of us who can't now because of Prop 8 - we deserve it too!

As do those in Vermont. And they're definitely celebrating.

CELEBRATIONS!

The 30-member Vermont Gay Tourism Association is hosting "Small State, Big Heart" marriage equality wedding reception and dance party Tuesday night at The Essex resort in Essex, offering hors d'oeuvres, wedding cake and DJ dancing for $34 per person.

Vermont-based Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream is sweetly celebrating by renaming their "Chubby Hubby" flavor "Hubby Hubby" for the month.

Vermont Freedom to Marry is hosting county booths throughout the state to thank and celebrate with fellow Vermonters over the new marriage equality law set to go into effect on September 1st. (H/T Queers United)

Upcoming opportunities:

* Aug. 29-Sep. 7 Champlain Valley Fair (Essex Junction)

* September 4-13 Vermont State Fair (Rutland)

* September 17-20 Tunbridge

For more information contact:
Sheryl Rapee-Adams, Field Director (802-353-7286 / Sheryl@vtfreetomarry.org)