It's a day after the still unbelievable vote on gay marriage and the Village is a bit on the giddy side. It doesn’t hurt that it is also the end of Pride week with all the parades and dances taking place yesterday and today. With Ash out of town I really wont get to any of them but I can still feel the buzz in the air. It’s kind of funny how Ash and Chloe, my two friends most likely to actually get married, were out of town when the whole vote went down. I think I got a "what's happening" text about every five minutes Friday night.
The last couple days have been like a dream come true, even if it's a dream more for others than for myself. I still can't put into words how it felt, how it feels, maybe I never will be able to. I should admit that yes I cried and it had nothing at all to do with allergies. It was the realization that two of my best friends, along with so many others, could marry if they wanted to. It was, is, such a totally awesome feeling that I never want to forget it.
Last night I took a walk to the Stonewall Inn just to be able to say I had been there this weekend. Even 24 hours later there were crowds of people outside celebrating. The Stonewall is only a few blocks from our apartment in the West Village, possibly the gayest part of the city of New York. I'd be willing to argue it is the gayest neighborhood in the US but the folks at The Advocate magazine don't even have New York on their recent list of the top 15 gay cities in America (l). Seriously Cleveland is number 12 and no New York? What's up with that?
As I stood outside history swirled in my head. Almost 42 years to the day after the riots that led to a movement that led to Friday night's vote. The first Gay Pride march took place in New York on June 28, 1970 to mark the first anniversary of the riots with Los Angeles and Chicago holding marches the same day. I can't even imagine how many cities hold marches today. In 1999 the Stonewall and the surrounding area were designated a National Historic Landmark. During the dedication John Berry said "Let it forever be remembered that here, on this spot, men and women stood proud, they stood fast, so that we may be who we are, we may work where we will, live where we choose and love whom our hearts desire." And than came Friday night’s vote.
Damn, I think my allergies are back.
Robyn - Dancing On My Own
Sunday morning update - Marriage is for the most part a religious issue while control of marriage is primarily a state one, so as much as I would love to see it I don't honestly think the U.S. will ever have a gay marriage law in every state. What I don't understand is why we can't have a national civil union law that gives any two people all the benefits of marriage? France continues to vote down gay marriage, but has no problem with civil union. Time to 'evolve' a little bit faster.
