“This is definitely the marriage bureau. But it’s been taken over by the Gay Activist Alliance.”
And so begins the followng vid from 1971 that Queerty posted today. It depicts the GAA (a gay rights activist group that formed after Stonewall) and their takeover of NYC’s Marriage License Bureau in June of that year. This is very timely as yesterday the US Supreme Court heard oral arguments against California’s repugnant Proposition 8 (de-legalizing same-sex marriage). And today SCOTUS will focus on DOMA (the Defense of Marriage Act).
These guys chased the bigoted City Clerk out of his own office because he had threatened to prosecute a reverend for presiding at a same-sex marriage ceremony (and let his ass know he was a bigot), and then held an engagement party (complete with cake) for two male couples that wanted to wed. Awesome.
I sincerely hope some of these trailblazers (this was 42 years ago!) are around today to see the results of their courage and conviction.
Check out the Human Rights Campaign’s website for live updates on the “Stand For Marriage.”
Thank you for posting this. The battle for equal rights is not over yet, but victory is near.
I’m all for same sex marriage (as i’m gay and all). But it wasn’t until i realized that i will always love the one who makes me feel free and wanted to stay with him forever, that marriage seemed a great idea for me. Yes, this is cheesy as hell but i don’t give a fuck. Forgive my passion.
That videos pretty awesome!!