The last forbidden romance

Weddings are boring. They’re so long and redundant.

But there’s something about a gay wedding that gets me every time.

Maybe it’s the fact that for centuries society has forced gay couples to hide in shame.

Maybe it’s because politicians think their position comes with the right to define what love should be. Let’s leave definitions to Merriam-Webster, shall we, boys?

It could be because gay marriage is the one case where religious nuts like to use their holy books as weapons to protect their god.

And maybe it’s because, as a female, I can’t resist a forbidden romance.

The closest I’ve come to witnessing a real gay marriage in person was the ceremony held after the Pride Film

Festival in Bloomington earlier this year. I was behind stage, shadowing a reporter from WTIU. I got to talk with some of the couples and see their lovely moments of anxiety before the curtains rose.

And when Mayor Mark Kruzan pronounced the 12 couples married symbolically, I experienced an unprofessional flash of tears and
irritation.

Why did it have to be symbolic?

Well, on Aug. 1, Minnesota couples were a lot luckier when their weddings were recognized legally.

Back in May, Minnesota became the 12th state to legalize gay marriage. Aug. 1 was the first day the law took effect, and couples lined up the night before with family and supporters. When the clock struck midnight, Minnesota saw its first legal same-sex married couple.

I found a photo blog of the event on Buzzfeed.com. It had me tearing up in Starbucks like an idiot.

Through all the emotion, the serial wedding ceremony was treated like a big party. There was cake and dancing. Because it was held so late — or early — the kids attending were soon exhausted. But they kept going until 6:30 a.m. when the final couple was married.

It was beautiful. Knowing all the abuse and trouble those couples had tolerated to get to that morning made it all the more powerful.

Some of the couples had been together over 30 years. Some were pregnant, and some had full-grown children.

They never planned to let the government prevent them from the love and family they wanted. But their patience was finally being rewarded.

And maybe the best part of this for me was thinking of the look on Michelle Bachman’s face and mentally telling her with an evil snicker to shove it.

Of course, more than anything, I can’t wait until the effects of this event wear off on other states. Conquering Minnesota was a big step, but there is more tolerance and enlightenment to be spread.

Twelve down, 38 to go.

­— lnbanks@indiana.edu
Follow Lexia Banks on Twitter @LexiaBanks.