by Euan Bear

     Tears, shouts of joy, thoughtful discourses, bad jokes, heartfelt good wishes - the whole traditional wedding panoply of expressions came into play as the couples of the Goodridge lawsuit and other Massachusetts same-gender couples trooped off to their town clerks to apply for marriage licenses, then to court for waivers of the three-day waiting period, and to various justices of the peace or ministers for the long-awaited marriage ceremonies.
      And yes, a few Phelps-connected protesters showed up waving their signs condemning gays and lesbians generally and equal marriage in particular as an abomination to their god.
      Cambridge queers and allies partied on Sunday night to welcome newly marriage-eligible couples, who applied for licenses at 12:01 a.m. Monday. The first Cambridge couple got in line at midnight on Saturday. Provincetown selectmen had voted unanimously to defy the 1913 law widely viewed as racist that Republican Governor Mitt Romney used to attempt to restrict same-gender marriages to Massachusetts residents. Other town clerks declared they would ignore Romney's demand that they ask for proof of residence.
      Asked whether Vermont would recognize Bay State same-gender marriages, attorney Beth Robinson declared, "Massachusetts marriages absolutely should be respected in Vermont. Vermont law clearly recognizes marriages that were valid where celebrated - even if the couple would not have been able to marry in Vermont.
      "There's no reason," Robinson concluded, "other than rank discrimination, to treat the case of same-sex marriage any differently." State Attorney General William Sorrell disagreed in remarks broadcast on Vermont Public Radio, citing the definition of marriage as between a man and a women included in the civil union law. Out of state marriages could be recognized as civil unions, however.
     According to an informal joint survey of same-sex couples in Massachusetts conducted by the Freedom to Marry Coalition and MassEquality, more than half (55%) of nearly 500 respondent couples planned to have their ceremonies conducted by justices of the peace. The rest will engage the services of clergy.
     Nearly two-thirds of the 493 responses to the survey were from lesbian couples. The overall group wanted hometown weddings and named 133 cities and towns where they will apply for licenses and get married. Boston, as might be expected, led the pack, followed by Cambridge and Northampton. Provincetown, Worcester and Newton tied for sixth place with 12 planned weddings each. P'town was preparing to be besieged, with 110 appointment requests at the clerk's office, according to news reports.
     "Couples across the Commonwealth are joyful, happy and grateful that for the first time in U.S. history, we can receive the critical legal rights and protections that come only through marriage," said Vermonter and PR consultant Marty Rouse, campaign coordinator for MassEquality. "May 17th is a historic day: it's the day that marks a new chapter of equality for gay and lesbian families."
     Rouse added, "A lot of what is happening is spontaneous, but a lot of it is planned. When you look at most gay events, who's in the forefront: young gay white men. Look at who is out front on marriage: seniors and women."
     Marriage is "not a done deal after May 17," Rouse added. "I'm raising a warning flag: the opposition is not going away. The real test will be in the primaries and then the general election. And we're likely to face a ballot initiative in 2006 or 2008 regardless of whether we win or lose on the state amendment" to prohibit same-sex marriage equality. "I'm happy for Massachusetts and the world, but if we can be strong, victorious, out there, organized, the more likely it is that we will win."
     Another source of hope in Massachusetts is that several openly gay candidates are running for the Massachusetts legislature because of the marriage issue, Rouse said. They are running against legislators who have had no opposition or voted in favor of the anti-gay amendment. "That's huge," Rouse said.
     New York couples pilgrimaged to Boston to help celebrate and some to seek marriages they could then take home and leverage into state recognition. State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, a Democrat, has suggested the state would recognize Massachusetts marriages; Governor George Pataki disagreed. Rhode Island's Attorney General joined with Spitzer on behalf of his state.
     In Washington, six same-sex couples chose May 17 to apply for marriage licenses at DC Superior Court in the nation's capital. They and their supporters, including members of the National Black Justice Coalition, Metropolitan Community Church, the National Coalition for Transgender Equity, and Marriage Equality Now-DC, then rallied on the courthouse steps.
     Vermonters celebrated the further step that Massachusetts took. A group of about 50 people partied at 135 Pearl to celebrate the historic day with wedding cake, performances by out gay comedian (and Vermont House candidate) Jason P. Lorber and lesbian comedian Deb Renshaw, and calls to rally "soon" for full marriage equality here.