Marriage equality update

Minnesota

Minneapolis police chief marries longtime partner 

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minneapolis Police Chief Janeé Harteau (jeh-NAY' har-TOH') has married her longtime partner on and off the force.

The Star Tribune reports (http://bit.ly/13K6iU1 ) that Harteau and Sgt. Holly Keegel got married Friday after waiting a couple weeks to take advantage of the Aug 1 law that gave same-sex couples the right to marry in Minnesota. They've been together for 25 years.

Harteau tells the Star Tribune that Mayor R.T. Rybak officiated at the private ceremony Friday at Prohibition, a bar atop the W Hotel in the Foshay Tower in downtown Minneapolis.

Pennsylvania

PA court to hear gay marriage arguments on Sept. 4 

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A Pennsylvania court will hear arguments next month on the governor's attempt to stop a county official from issuing same-sex marriage licenses.

Republican Gov. Tom Corbett's administration says Montgomery County officials are violating the state's one-man, one-woman marriage law.

However, Democratic officials in the affluent county near Philadelphia believe the state marriage law is unconstitutional.

Commonwealth Court will hear arguments on Sept. 4 in Harrisburg.

Meanwhile, a few mayors around the state are stepping into the fray.

In Western Pennsylvania, Braddock Mayor John Fetterman says he has performed several same-sex marriages at his home.

And State College Mayor Elizabeth Goreham has hosted a same-sex wedding. But she says she had a minister perform the ceremony so she would not violate her oath of office.

Hawaii

Hawaii religious leaders sign gay marriage appeal 
OSKAR GARCIA, Associated Press

HONOLULU (AP) — More than two dozen Hawaii faith leaders of various religions signed a resolution Monday calling the state to pass a law legalizing gay marriage.

Jewish, Unitarian, Methodist and other leaders read and signed the poster-sized declaration at an interfaith brunch at the First Unitarian Church of Honolulu.

"It's all about standing on the right side of history," said Rev. Dr. Jonipher Kupono Kwong of the First Unitarian Church.

Kwong said the groups would continue to press on the issue until more people are in favor of gay marriage.

"We will keep doing it until we're all prayed out," Kwong said.

The resolution asks Hawaii lawmakers to extend civil marriage benefits to same-sex couples. Hawaii currently has a civil unions law, but some say it doesn't go far enough in fully recognizing couples as married.

The church leaders say civil recognition of the relationships is a matter of fairness.

The gathering, organized by Hawaii United for Marriage, comes one day after Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser (http://bit.ly/16pSCRs ) that it's very likely there will be a special session to take up the issue.

Abercrombie told the newspaper that he's more concerned that any bill is legally sound than about timing. The Legislature begins its normal session in January.

Rep. Chris Lee, a Hawaii House member who has been pushing for a gay marriage law, said conversation among lawmakers has been swayed by changes in public perception and two Supreme Court rulings viewed as victories by gay marriage advocates. He said a special session would allow a gay marriage law to pass with less influence from groups outside Hawaii who want to push on the issue.

"There is no reason to wait for justice and equality," he said.

Rep. Della Belatti, a House lawmaker who teared up while addressing leaders at the brunch, said lawmakers and others are changing how they discuss gay marriage as more issues arise by not allowing same-sex couples the same benefits as other married couples.

"People recognize that there are civil benefits that are connected to marriage that we're excluding people from," Belatti said.

The signing did not include leaders from religious groups that have opposed gay marriage in Hawaii in the past. Hawaii Family Forum, which represents Christian churches of various denominations, as well as the Hawaii Catholic Conference, submitted testimony earlier this year against a bill that would have created a task force to study the social and economic impacts of gay marriage in the state.

 

New York City

NYC wedding witness needed? Photogs say, 'I will' 
BETHAN McKERNAN, Associated Press

 

NEW YORK (AP) — Hundreds of people get married at New York City Hall every day. Some couples forget flowers or rings, but what about the one real necessity — a witness?

That's where Goran Veljic and Braulio Cuenca come in. Between them, the two wedding photographers have served as witnesses for thousands of couples, a duty that both markets their services and allows them to share in the happiest day of people's lives.

"Any time you're feeling stressed, or sad, you should come to City Hall to see the weddings," said Veljic, a 43-year-old from what is now Serbia. "I love being in an environment built on love and happiness."

Between Cuenca's 20 years as a last-minute wedding photographer and Veljic's four, they've seen almost every kind of courthouse ceremony imaginable.

There was the opera singer who met her fiancé straight off the plane from Germany and flew back within a few hours; the brothers who had a double wedding; a couple who couldn't bear to get married unless they could bring their dog to the ceremony; and, of course, all those New Yorkers who are too busy for anything except a lunch-break wedding, a few photos and a kiss goodbye before taking separate cabs back to the office.

"It's about the special moments," said Cuenca, 47, who emigrated from Ecuador. "It's just a minute in the couples' lives that means something forever. To see that is special."

Cuenca and Veljic are the only two regular wedding photographers who specialize in City Hall. Even though they are business rivals, they get along well. They stake out separate, strategic spots (Cuenca on the sidewalk, Veljic near the steps) to catch couples who may need a witness, and maybe a photographer.

"We can always point people who need witnesses in the photographers' direction, and they're happy to help," said Samantha Goldsberry, who works in the gift and flower shop. "They're some of the main characters here. They're part of the fabric."

Neither man charges to witness a marriage — but if couples want to buy photos, Cuenca charges $175 for a 35-print album and portrait, and Veljic offers print packages and DVDs for $299.

Lately, business has been good. City Hall, which hosts about 20,000 ceremonies a year, has been especially busy since a 2009 move for the marriage bureau that greatly expanded and renovated the space for weddings, and the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that repealed part of the federal law against gay marriage.

Jeffrey Thompson and Michal Prosk, of Palm Beach, Fla., wed in New York because same-sex marriage isn't legal in Florida. Being from out of town, they didn't have a witness on hand.

"We were looking for someone to be our witness, and Goran kindly volunteered to do it," Thompson said. "He's done this so many times now; I guess it's kind of like we have a celebrity who's signed our certificate."

Cuenca and Veljic say people sometimes remember them and strike up conversations in the street or subway to reminisce.

"Every day, every ceremony, is the same but different," Veljic said. "New Yorkers are full of surprises. You never know what you will get."

 

New Zealand

New Zealand gay weddings begin, 1 at 39,000 feet 
NICK PERRY, Associated Press

QUEENSTOWN, New Zealand (AP) — When Lynley Bendall and Ally Wanikau walked down the aisle to exchange vows, the fasten-seatbelt signs were off.

The couple celebrated the legalization of gay marriage in New Zealand by getting hitched in a plane at 39,000 feet (11,900 meters). Along for the ride was Jesse Tyler Ferguson, star of the American TV sitcom "Modern Family."

Instead of soda and peanuts, the flight attendants served champagne and canapes.

Monday was the first day same-sex couples could marry in New Zealand, where the law was changed in April. Officials said about three dozen same-sex couples planned to marry.

Bendall and Wanikau were flying high after winning a promotion by national carrier Air New Zealand. Their winning video featured their three young foster children holding handwritten signs saying why their parents should get married on a plane, including one that read "Wow!! Imagine that for news at school!!!"

Bendall said the law change is "huge" for New Zealand: "We're so proud."

She and Wanikau have been together 13 years. They are both childcare workers and met through work.

The newly wed Ferguson, whose husband Justin Mikita was also on the flight, said he hoped to help shine the spotlight on New Zealand's law change.

"So I'm very happy to come out here with my husband to bring some attention to this great day," said Ferguson, who was married in New York City last month.

Ferguson said that with gay marriage not legally recognized in 37 U.S. states, there is plenty of work to do there to change attitudes. He said television comedy is a great way to help normalize gay relationships.

"We really sneak into a lot of living rooms with no agenda," he said. People "start loving this gay couple on television, and they say, 'I love Cam and Mitch,' and so what's so different with Bob and Joe down the street?"

Ferguson said he faced discrimination growing up in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

"It was very difficult. I was name-called a lot, I had to move schools a few times because I was bullied," he said. "A lot of those people who bullied me are now very jealous of my career, and have tried to connect with me on Facebook. And, of course, I'm a very forgiving person, but, you know, I don't totally forget."

Asked what he thought about leaving on the flight from a place called Queenstown, Ferguson laughed, saying he thought it was "very appropriate," and adding that "It hasn't gone unnoticed."

After the charter flight landed in Auckland, the plane was towed to a hangar for a reception with live music and a rainbow-colored wedding cake.

Celebrant Kim Jewel Elliott had twice before united the couple — first in 2001 in a commitment ceremony and then in 2009 in a civil union.

"I feel so happy," Elliott said. "Injustices still happen and there are still things to fight for. But this is a real day of joy."

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.