DENISE & JULIANNE

As you all know, the passage of Prop 8 was a travesty. I haven’t been this angry at California voters since Schwarzenegger was elected. Several friends tied the knot “before the deadline” (which is an awful thing to write when you think about it), but my teaching schedule only allowed me to attend two ceremonies. The first was Denise & Julianne’s shindig in Folsom. Photos courtesy of Nick & Ken, with the relevant caption appearing below each one. As always, click on the pics for a better view.



Here you can see the moment where I ripped the microphone out of the officiant’s hand and launched into an a cappella rendition of “Paradise by the Dashboard Light.” But seriously, folks, I was so honored when “the girls” asked me to give a reading at their ceremony, then so relieved that the text wasn’t some syrupy schmaltz I don’t really believe. I’ve posted the reading in the entry below titled CEREMONY TEXT. (By the way, the actual caption should read: “Don’t make me cry,” I whispered to Denise.)



Jackson joins his moms on the dance floor. The whole evening, I kept thinking, “This is my friggin’ MA thesis (on lesbian/gay parenthood) come alive!” I also realized that I hadn’t been to a wedding since 1995 (ciao, Luisa!) and that I’d forgotten what it was like to “feel the love in a room” in this (non-sexual) manner.



The number of well-wishing friends and relatives in attendance was overwhelming. Here Julianne dances to “In the Mood” with her 99-year-old grandmother. This photo represents the loving attitude that those religious bigots can’t seem to understand: “My granddaughter is in love, has a beautiful child, and wants to celebrate her union publicly and legally. What’s the big deal? Let’s dance!” This sentiment was also captured in my two favorite signs from the subsequent anti-Prop 8 protests:
I’m straight and I’m pissed.
OMG WTF SRSLY?



As the best man, Julianne’s brother gave a moving speech about the ongoing struggle for civil rights, made even more meaningful by the fact that his partner was seated next to him as a member of the wedding party. Who can be against such cuteness, really?