This morning in New York City, close to 700 couples made history by being the first gay and lesbian couples to marry in the state.
Talk About Equality and the Family Equality Council were there to document these marriage pioneers!
The new law, which passed in New York and was signed by Governor Andrew Cuomo 30 days ago, has broken the barrier to equality for thousands. Couples of every age, size and shape were lined up starting in the early hours this morning, to finally gain legal recognition for their partnerships. We spoke to couples who’d been together for 2 years and couples who’d been together 42 years – who’ve been patiently waiting for this sunny Sunday morning at the New York City Clerk’s office.
Please enjoy some photos from today’s day downtown, followed by a special reception held by Governor Andrew Cuomo at New York’s Dream Hotel. At the reception, the governor honored several individuals and organizations who joined together to eventually win the fight for marriage equality. And finally this evening at the LGBT Center of New York, several organizations including Empire State Pride Agenda, Transgender Legal Defense Network, Human Rights Campaign and Freedom to Marry hosted an enormous wedding reception for today’s newlyweds. Several elected representatives responsible for the passage of marriage equality and special guest, George Takei helped ring in the celebrations!
Also check out this video we put together about Gabriel and Dylan, one of New York’s first married gay couples. More photos, video and information on how to get married in New York available at FamilyEquality.org :
Talk About Equality 
Such a fun visual story here — thank you for sharing. Really…
It is a historic time, to be sure!
🙂
Great post!! The couples look so happy and in love. Best of luck to all (except the stupid protesters)
My partner and I are still waiting for the right to marry in Kentucky. But how wonderful to watch history unfolding before our very eyes!
Kathy
What a fabulous post! This is brilliant news and the pictures of the day are amazing!
I love this!! The pictures made it even better!!
Goin’ to the chapel and we’re (ba-BOOM!) gonna get ma-ah-ah-reed……(insert music note graphics and sound HERE!). I do love this post, thank you for bringing it home in such a moving and delightful and powerful way. Bless all these couples and all their dear ones. A wonderful, wonder-full day.
I don’t think this freedom for gay couples will last long… Its totally destroying our nation.
Hey there, just wondering if you can give us any specific examples of how marriage equality is destroying anything… The states which currently offer equal marriage rights are noticing the lowest divorce rates in the country and millions in revenue from our weddings. Let me know if you can provide any specifics for your bigoted, ignorant, unfounded statement of fact.
You think marriage equality is what’s destroying the nation?
You might benefit from actually analyzing your government. I highly doubt that making homosexuals able to express their love for eachother through a bond is the thing that has caused problems in your nation. Actually doing research before you make naive statements on such a blog as this might help expand your knowledge a little. You might realize that freedom for gay couples is not your biggest problem. If you want to start blaming someone, I’d start blaming your right-wing government and their determination to excercise their power in completely unnecessary ways. That might be what is “totally destoying your nation”. While that may not be the only reason, I’d say it’s 100 times more likely than allowing homosexuals to wed.
Oh yeah… I’m straight.
Yeah, because straight married couples have gotten it so right. Give it a rest. We’ve had our chance to screw up marriage. Let the gay couples give it a try. They can’t do much worse than we already have.
What’s destroying our nation is the overwhelmingly heterosexual wealthy males who have stolen and squandered everything in sight. Happily, they have women and gays to blame everything on when their unbridled avarice eats away at the foundations of our country and begins to rot it from the head down.
Reallllly? Wealthy males have stolen everything? LOL. That’s hilarious. You sound like a man hater. Gotta love it. Just because no man wants you doesn’t mean you should stereotype.
Yeah, all those lesbian black female banksters who strangled the economy to death … Thousands of `em! Thousands, I tell you!
How so?
TROLL
Yeah buildings are falling down, plague is breaking out, locusts are attacking the children, old people are bursting into flames, people are speaking random languages that they don’t know, cars are talking, meteors are falling back into space, the moon is shrinking and expanding, people are shooting lasers from their eyes, young people are having sex with trees, earthquakes are happening, the government is adopting kilts as standard uniform, rainbows aren’t happening anymore, and kittens are now violent. All because gay people are viewed as real people and not a sub-class of people anymore.
You are an idiot and you are destroying our nation.
You use sarcasm, but something tells me you cannot detect it.
This is such a great post! the pictures make it all the more better. It’s about time the US start recognizing all forms of love and not just love between a man and a woman. We shouldn’t base our laws on an outdated book that used to dictate how people lived hundreds of years ago.
-Bianca at http://theinbetweengirls.wordpress.com/
I’m straight, and I feel like New York has taken a step forward. I’m really glad! 🙂
Happy for everyone that benefits from this!
Ditto everything that she said. 🙂
(P.S. Everyone, ignore trolls – i.e. reviewsquare.)
this is fabulous! i’m from Iowa, and a couple years ago we made the very same move. it’s a battle though…conservatives have been fighting it every step of the way and it’s disappointing to see some peoples inability to allow progress in terms of social equality,
http://www.icouldntmakethisshitup.wordpress.com
Such a happy time! I hope that this sets a trend across the country even though I know we still have a LONG way to go.
Yeah!!!! Maybe Nevada will be next..(LOL) If there is $ to be made it might be approved.
What is destroying our country is people that think like your poster, Reviewsquare. The bigots will not inherit the earth-thank God. Terrific picture-blog.
Legalizing homosexual marriage does not make it morally acceptable. In fact, it is yet another sign of the moral degradation of our society… all for less than 3% of the population. To assuage liberal, relative ideas of equality and morality.
I do not hate homosexuals, but real marriage is between one man and one woman. A law in a book doesn’t change the historical norm nor reasons. Instead, it merely creates more problems than its worth. The nuclear family is a key factor to the viability of a culture; this merely adds to tearing it down. It degrades marriage as an institution.
You can bet polygamists will use every state legalization of homosexual marriage as an argument for legalized polygamy… and in the name of liberal, relative morality, they’re “right”.
Gay marriage is neither an equality issue nor a civil rights issue. It’s an ideological issue aimed at altering the culture of this nation.
American has, is and will answer for its sins to God – but he doesn’t hate homosexuals… just sin.
“A law in a book doesn’t change the historical norm”
i would assume that most of the former slaves – freed as a result of laws that denounce the historical norm – would beg to differ with you.
Ah of course – it only took 5 seconds for someone to compare this to slavery. Different situation.
Like the previous poster, I don’t hate gays either. In fact, I have several friends that happen to be gay and they are all really great people that I like very much.
If you could assure me that these gay families won’t have any kids, I’d say “no problem”. Imagine being a child with two dads, or two moms. Can you imagine the ridicule at school? More important than that, kids need a male influence and a female influence in the home. You can’t get that from two women or two men. That’s not to say they wouldn’t give as much love and support as a heterosexual couple — but, some things are just needed by nature. It’s the reason you don’t see two male birds living in the same nest, or a penguin trying to hook up with another male penguin. It’s not brain surgery here.
Nature is pretty straight forward. It takes a male and female to pro-create for a reason.
Hate to break it to you, but penguin are among the hundreds of animal species where homosexuality has been documented. The idea that a child “needs” a male and female influence in the home is entirely made-up and there is not a single relevant academic scientific study which claims this to be true.
You are essentially staying in your post that you would preferred children be raised by drug addicts and child abusers, so long as They are straight. If this isnt what you are staying, why arent you speaking against them being parents? I imagine if you actually had any self-respecting gay friends, They would know longer be if you were honest with them about your bigoted beliefs.
There are a lot of screwed up kids in this country and i can guarantee you that not one of them was born of a gay it lesbiana couple that forgot to wear a condom. We are there to clean up your messes, and We do a damn good job at it Thank you verte much.
To Chris….
I was raised only by a mother… I don’t understand why things need to be so structured to you.
Ridiculous.
Chris, the fact that we as a society refuse to treat everyone with respect (“can you imagine the ridicule…”) should not prevent some from having rights that others do, based solely on the fact that while we “don’t hate them” we feel it’s OK to punish them verbally for being what they are.
Chris –
If we could all just be a bit more open minded about life and love the ridicule that you are so worried about would dwindle away. To be against gay marriage because of the ridicule their potential children might have to suffer would be like going against a heterosexual couple having a child because of the potential ridicule that might occur if they child should be born with a birth defect that “labels” them.
Besides, I think that a child raised by two men or two women isn’t much worse off than a child raised in a single family home – the male/female role model is missing in that situation too but divorce is still legal…
TROLL….
“A law in a book doesn’t change the historical norm nor reasons.” You do realize that the reason you think marriage is only between a man and a woman is because it was written about in a book, right? In Genesis 2:24. But, guess what- the bible is a book! Oh my gosh… That means, according to your logic, that it doesn’t have the historical norm! Which, by the way, if you go back in history, many “righteous” men had concubines, multiple wives and even cheated on their wives and had children with women other than their wives.
Next thing, you’ll be saying that women shouldn’t have rights, because we’re only 50% of the population.
You’re using God as your reasoning why someone should or shouldn’t be married. I’m pretty sure you’re probably well aware of Matthew 7:1-5: “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. “
So, congrats. You’ll be judged for this “sin,” because you’re judging everyone else for it.
And the culture of this nation NEEDS to change. Too many people are obsessed with following an ancient version of what they’re told is right, and guess what? Times change, people change and the world changes, and rather than be stuck in the past, we need to change with them. If someone wants to get married, I say let them get married. If my friend/coworker/neighbor gets married to ANYONE (same gender or not), it’s not going to change how I live my life.
Congrats to all these lovely couple that are FINALL Y able to marry each other. They all deserve it.
If you truly are a conservative, then why would you want big government dictating who can marry?
Your religious freedoms will never be impacted by gay marriage. The government can never force a church to marry gay couples. That’s what freedom of religion is for. In your home, you have the right to love, pray, and live as you want. Why not extend that to others?
You have to stand on the line between church and state and understand that while separate, they don’t have to encroach on one another and can live in harmony. If you want to have a faith that is against gay marriage, more power to you. God bless you! (I’m Catholic, btw)
Churches don’t have the responsibility to treat people equally. Mormons didn’t allow blacks into their churches until the late 70s. Jews are still not allowed in Russian and Greek Orthodox churches during service. The government won’t tell them they have to respect diversity, and I would protest any proposed law that forced churches to marry gay couples.
However, the government does have the responsibility to treat all people equally under the eyes on the law, not the eyes of God. And a marriage certificate from the government is a legal contract. Marriage in the church is a sacrament. If that is marriage to you, then the legal one will never even count. God only sees marriage in a church with a man and woman. So what’s the harm to you if the government performs them?
In your mind, your church, your home, marriage is a man and woman. That’s all good and fine. Truly it is. I would never disrespect you or put you down. But you have to look at the difference between God’s law and man’s law.
And even if, as you say, gay marriage is an ideological issue, so be it. We’re a nation built on the ideology of freedom and the pursuit of happiness. And I think a whole lot of people just got happily married.
Good point about the government, although I must say that the church may have it wrong in regards to marriage only being recognized by a man and woman by God. If you read about David and Jonathan (1 Samuel 18), they made a covenant that could be considered like a marriage and even said that David’s love for him surpassed that of women! Also, Ruth cleaved to Naomi (Ruth 1:14) which is the same Hebrew word that was used for Adam cleaving to Eve in marriage. Jesus said, “At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.” -Matthew 22:30. Therefore, there are no marriages recognized between individuals in heaven because we are genderless as angels. “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, NOR IS THERE MALE NOR FEMALE, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” -Galatians 3:28. This suggests that we are no longer seen as separate genders. “MARRIAGE IS HONORABLE IN ALL, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.” Hebrews 13:4. This expresses that marriage is honored in all (Greek word, “pas” meaning “everyone, whosoever, any, every, the whole”) and it is the promiscuous and unfaithful that will be judged. Lastly, Revelation 19:1 describes that the body of Christian believers (including men) are the bride in the final wedding, and Jesus is the groom. With this thought, sexual and gender orientation will pass away. Due to this, sexual orientation is not important in heaven. For even human men will be as a bride in heaven! God knows our hearts. It seems that you will not be judged for how strictly you followed your gender norms of being heterosexual, but how Christ-like you have been. It is not who you love, but how you love!
As Robert Bolt penned, through the mouth of the fictionalized Sir Thomas More:
“This country is planted thick with laws from coast to coast, Man’s laws, not God’s!”
Welcome to the internet. Where everyone has an opinion and feels it needs to be shared. #SMH
my best friends were (i believe) the first couple for Buffalo. What a wonderful day for those who cherish equality, and for those who are in love!
YAY! ❤ What a great post!
Love all the pictures 🙂 it may seem like a huge step, but there is so much more to be done.
About the only thing I can say is it’s about damned time.
Great post! Never prouder to be a New Yorker!
Me too! Makes me so proud. 🙂
Love is in the air. ❤
This post makes so happy ! Great photos of a momentous occasion 🙂 I especially like the photograph of the people with the puppets…
My parents/mums were one of the first in Dublin, Ireland to marry this year when the legislation was passed. I am so proud of them.
Boo to the nay-sayers… if you have nothing positive to say on the matter, keep it for somewhere more relevant…
Congratulations New York from Germany!
Nice to see this great and human loving step into
a better and equitable future for gay and lesbian
people.
Another good reason to say : I love NY 🙂
I am so overfilled with joy for these couples. While I always thought gay couples should have the right to get married, I usually kept my opinions to myself. While browsing through the photo’s I almost had tears in my eyes because of how happy these couples were that they could finally legally be recognized. I’m ready to share my opinion with the world! Great Post.
As Argentina, New York is a great example as well. Someday, I hope at least my city or my country will do the same, because my Country (Brazil) isn’t doing anything. We fight, we do fight, but a lot of our politicians have prejudice. But I will not give up… “The road will be red with monstrous martyrdoms, but we shall win.(Oscar Wilde)” Congratulations New Yorkers!
Congrats to everyone in the photos and applaud for them for they didn’t let society’s meaningless norms became a barrier in their LOVE…
Amazing!!
Such great news! Part of me is saddened though. Sad that it took so long. Sad that they had to line up and quickly complete the process instead of having big weddings like heteros had. I mean, nothing is stopping them from now doing a big ceremony, but it’s just sad that it took so long.
Congratulations to all! Such beautiful and touching pictures. About time NY!!
we were married in October 2008 in San Francisco, and we’ll be coming to a town near you as soon as we can!
congrats to all the couples in NY, hopefully California will be close behind 🙂
Congratulations to the gay community and to the great State of New York from Spain. When the Spanish government responded to “conservative” backlash to similar legislation several years ago, it was in the form of a brief message I’ll always remember. A spokesman simply stated the Spanish government had done no more and no less than any government of any democratic country should do: extend more rights across the board to more of its citizens.
Brilliant post – good for you, us and them! Congrats on being freshly pressed too – the photos are great and so is the occasion 🙂
Yay!!!! Congratulations to all the happy couples!! May their journey be happy and free from hate!
Romans 1:26:
Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones.
Finally all New Yorkers have the right to marry! I was reading the Bible the other day and came across a very interesting verse in 1 Timothy 4 that could pertain to our current situation: “Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith. They will be fooled by evil spirits and by teachings that come from demons. They will also be fooled by the false claims of hypocritical liars whose consciences have lost all feeling. These liars WILL FORBID PEOPLE TO MARRY…” (1 Timothy 4:1-3). Wouldn’t it be strange if this was talking about the church forbidding marriage between loving long-term relationships of the same gender? I have written much on this topic about the verses in the Bible that merely appear to condemn homosexuality in my very first post. I think many Christians need to dig deeper into the Bible’s original language and cultural context, as God loves us all equally! Remember, “God has shown me that I should never call a person impure or unclean…What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.” -Acts 10: 28, 15. “No one who loves others will harm them. So love is all that the law demands.” – Romans 13:12.
Interesting comment!
I like that theory. It really undermines psychos like the Westboro Baptist Church. Although they don’t really read the bible anyway because God is pure love and CANNOT hate anyone.
This is so great! Congrats on Freshly Pressed. I actually did a comic about the gay rights issue a couple days ago. You should check it out, if satire’s you’re thing: http://baconbitscomics.wordpress.com/2011/07/22/evil-people/ I wish California would jump on board already.
Gay marriage is wrong.
So this whole post is actually some pretty bad news.
Go away troll.
I think it’s such a controversial subject that so many times gets pushed on to other subjects to where there will never be a right or wrong answer here.
Example “What’s destroying our nation is the overwhelmingly heterosexual wealthy males who have stolen and squandered everything in sight.”
Being heterosexual really has nothing to do with financial decisions anymore than being homosexual does.
There will never be a right or wrong argument here. It’s completely based on someone’s personal belief.
Like personally I believe the reason there are so many divorces and failed marriages is because our society is all about instant gratification and we have a lack of consequences.
So for me, I support marriage. I support people who are willing to take on that commitment despite the fact that they know it will be hard. Sexuality really has nothing to do with it in my mind. That’s all.
$$$$$$$$$$$$ and more $$$$$$$$. Phuque the morality game. Live and let live and equality for all!!!!!!
thats a lot of pics
A very troubling development. Equality at the cost of marriage and family and using a child to prove a point: disaster.
What’s so troubling? Marriage and Families are being raised up as opposed to the bigots who believe that only their family should have protections. It’s not gay and lesbian couples who are ruining marriages – straight people have done just fine with that for centuries. And it’s not gay or lesbian couples who are accidentally having children and dropping them on the nearest doorstep – again, if you’ll recall – we don’t have that problem. But here we are cleaning up once again after heterosexual messes and getting nothing but flack for it from people like you.
Great post! It’s time to really move forward and get out from the box! Unfortunately, here in the Philippines, same sex marriage is condemned by ‘oh holy catholics’! Just recently, during the Pride March in one of the biggest cities here, where eight couples (of same sex) had their sacred vow, it reaped a lot of violent reactions from many catholic priests and even the city government themselves and even proclaimed these couples as “persona non grata”! Heck! too sad.
This makes me so happy! Let’s show the rest of the US how it’s done.
Government should not have a say about who and when and how can or cannot get married. It is a contract and everybody has a right to decide for themselves!
Congratulations!!!
It is really amazing and makes me so happy to see all these smiling people!!! YAY for New York!!!! and NAY for the very ugly and might I say highly UNfabulous people that were protesting ! BOOOO to you!
Lets talk about equality….one of my most favorite subjects.
The only debate here is how we think history will play out…..will you be on the right side when your grandchildren don’t remember it any other way and want to know how you felt when it was a debate?
I have been a gay rights activist since I was old enough to understand the inequality and as the barriers drop, my heart soars.
As a mother of three young children, I hope someday they ask the real question “what was all the fuss about”. I hope they get to see our country as it is meant to be -accepting and encouraging of all our differences.
Congrats to NY, now let’s move on to our nation as a whole.
Can’t wait to read the rest of your blog!
Good luck to all the newlywed! This is a respectfull and beautifull way to tell, that love conquers all.
It is amazing to me how many of my fellow Americans think it is acceptable to limit the rights of gay people. Your church can dicriminate all it wants, but the government doesn’t have such latitude when it comes to bigotry. That’s what makes this country so great.
Congratz to all the happy couples! It must be a great day for them. 🙂
I felt quite cheerful and happy after reading this post and seeing all the happy couples in your photos, some of whom look like they’ve been waiting a long long time for this day. But then I thought I’d comment and in scrolling down through the comments have read some really sad & hateful things written by some really sad & hateful people. What a shame, but I still want to say well done on writing this uplifting piece.
I congratulate you all. If only the Australian government was so forward thinking. Our Prime Minister is shacked up in Canberra with her boy friend and says “No” to the option of marriage, but won’t give us the same option.. I’m envious, pleased, excited and enthused by the decision. Let’s hope the rest of the USA, and indeed the world, follow suit and there is an end to discrimination.
Great to see. Thanks for sharing. Finally the world moves a step closer to being an open and fairer place.
Wow – can’t believe how judgemental some of the comments on here are. Surely it’s a good thing if two people love each other and want to show their commitment by getting married? Regardless of gender? It’s not the Bible that says gay marriage is wrong, it’s people with closed minds and bigoted attitudes. And just for the record, I’m straight.
Congratulations to everyone who got married! A happy occasion indeed, as well as a big step forward. Well done New York; well done.
Brilliant post! And lots of happy wishes to those newly hitched 🙂
brilliant : ) love is love and im glad to see new york is now allowing same sex marriage, weve had them uk for a while : ) everyone looks happy 😀
Congrats, great post. Shame about the some hateful responses, I have have never seen this reaction on WordPress, usually a supportive and fun forum. I would pose the question who really causes more harm to society, people who want to be treated as equals or people who aim to supress others?
so very awesome, to see people able to celebrate their love. who cares what people consumed with hate feel. one of my proud New Yorkers moments. Congrats to any and everyone who took the big step.
Absolutely amazing. Congratulations to one and all. I put a ring on my partner’s finger three years ago (We’re British) and we haven’t looked back since.
Hard to believe it’s taken till 2011 to make this small step!
The World is coming to an end with all these abnormalites. Indeed, Christians have a lot to say, think and act about with all these happenings. It my prayer that all these people will come to know the Lord. May God help us.
I see no abnormality with love, and that’s about it. Maybe you see things differently, but just because one religion preaches discrimination against a group of people doesn’t mean that your beliefs should extend to others who do not share them.
It is my hope that you may learn to be a more open and accepting person, whoever you may be.
On the subject of the post, me and my friends watched the voting of the bill, and it was amazing. The reactions that came out when we heard this was passed made our day. This is what should have happened a long time ago!
That video made me squeel! XD I’m so happy these people get to finally be legally married-something they’ve been already in their hearts. It’s so amazing. I can’t help but smile. XD Congrats!
As a proud Christian, I’d like to say how happy I am for you and all the couples in NY who are now able to have their love legally recognized. It is a difficult journey, and a slow one, but each moment like this is an important step to recognizing and celebrating love. (Incidentally, you may be happy to hear that the Presbyterian Church–or at least the PCUSA branch of it–has officially welcomed people of any sexual orientation to serve in the ministry.)
This is such a nice story. It’s heartwarming to see that there are so many couples who are now able to celebrate the fact that their love is recognised by their state, just like any heterosexual couple. Hopefully the rest of America will follow suit!
My wife and I got married last September, so we basically JUST missing having a legal ceremony in our home state. But I wouldn’t change our wedding for the world anyway.
The pictures from Sunday make me cry! I’m so happy that NYS finally got with the program.
Alll you need is love … bumpa da de dum … CONGRATULATIONS NEWLYWEDS!!
i love reading things like this! i can’t wait for the day it is legal in all 50 states. i have so many friends who are gay and i want to see them walk down the isle, so this better happen. after all, all you need is love.. no matter what your gender is. ❤
Thank you for sharing this – it’s such a great post and gave me the smile that I’ve been looking for lately 🙂 Everyone looks SO happy and although I myself don’t live in the states, I rejoiced with everyone else when NY took that step forward. This is really really great! Congratulations everyone!
It is not a church, this is a hate group. Westboro Baptist Church says they hate the Gay-Community. But, they also hate African Americans, Dr. & Mrs. King, Canada, Sweden, the Fire Department of N.Y., victims of 911, other Christian churches, the pope, Judaism, America, our American troops and the list goes on and on.
This group spreads its hate through picketing in our streets, provoking attacks, with abusive language and flag desecration, attempting to create a confrontation. This is not about protesting, freedom, or God. They are in it for the money and the press; this is a family law firm. They are not a “church.” It is a scam. They go after any thing that can get them in the news.
The city of Topeka, the state of Kansas and the U.S. at large, its citizens and their churches, schools and events are all held hostage by this “hate group” and always at the tax payer’s expense.
World Body Painting Festival
Congrats to all the happy couples!!!
Congratulations New York!!!
I’m happy for all these couples in New York. Hopefully, more states will follow their example soon.
This is not a church, this is a hate group. Westboro Baptist Church spreads its hate through picketing in our streets, provoking attacks, with abusive language and flag desecration, attempting to create a confrontation. This is not about protesting, freedom, or God. They are in it for the money and the press; this is a family law firm. They are not a “church.” It is a scam. They go after anything that can get them in the news. This is a family of lawyers using this “god hates you” thing to make money. It is time for this scam to end.
Way to go New York.
Personally, I don’t have a problem with gays or lesbians being around me or socializing with me. I’m not going to avoid them because of their beliefs.
Coming from a Christian perspective, and I know I’m not going to be very popular for saying this, Yahweh didn’t make a woman and a woman or a man and a man to get married. A same-sex couple isn’t what Yahweh intended. Homosexuality is an abomination. ( Leviticus 20:13 )
http://www.lovethetruth.com/evils/homosexuality/abomination.htm is an interesting article to read.
You cannot make the choice to believe in one part of the bible but avoid other parts – and you certainly can’t quote Leviticus as words to live by unless you are also fighting against the abominations of eating shellfish or wearing clothing of two different fibers. Do you advocate stoning adulterers, or putting children to death who talk back to their parents? If not, your argument holds no weight.
This is great!