Foxrac

SAN FRANCISCO, California (AP) -- County clerk offices opened their doors Tuesday to hundreds of gay and lesbian couples with appointments to secure marriage licenses and exchange vows on the first full day same-sex nuptials were legal throughout California.

From San Diego to Eureka, couples readied their formal wear, local licensing clerks expanded their staffs and conservative groups warned of a backlash as the nation's most populous state joined Massachusetts in sanctioning gay unions.

In San Francisco, a gay men's chorus was singing on the front steps, where a party atmosphere was lit up by rainbow flags and supporters handing out cupcakes to happy couples.

Helen Zia and Lea Shigemura sang "The Chapel of Love" as they walked to the city attorney's office to get married. The couple, clad in beige jackets and slacks, exchanged vows with Zia's mother by their side.

"This is the most meaningful day of my life. I've always wanted to get married," Shigemura said. "I just never thought it'd be possible."

Unlike Massachusetts, which legalized same-sex marriage in 2004, California has no residency requirement for marriage licenses. Many couples are expected to head west to wed. iReport.com: Share your feelings, photos and videos

The May 15 California Supreme Court ruling that overturned the state's bans on same-sex marriage became final at 5:01 p.m. Monday, and clerks in at least five counties extended their hours to mark the occasion.

Already, dozens of same-sex couples have seized the opportunity to make their relationships official in the eyes of the law. They included actor and gay rights activist George Takei, who arrived with his longtime partner, Brad Altman, at West Hollywood City Hall on Tuesday morning to get their marriage license.

"Today we are all here to give flesh and blood reality to that ruling. We are going to make history," said Takei, who played Sulu in the 1960s "Star Trek" television series. "Congratulations to all of us and may equality live long and prosper." Watch Takei describe his feelings about "making history" »

Every county was required to start issuing new gender-neutral marriage licenses Tuesday with spaces for "Party A" and "Party B" where "bride" and "groom" used to be.

As couples prepared to marry at the Contra Costa County clerk's office Tuesday morning, three opponents of gay marriage from the Westboro Baptist Church picketed outside, carrying signs with sayings such as "God is your enemy."

Members of the sect are often seen at military funerals in demonstrations claiming U.S. combat deaths are God's punishment for the nation's tolerance of homosexuality.

The protesters were easily outnumbered by about three dozen supporters of gay marriage, who held signs that read "Hate is not a family value" and "My marriage is not threatened by theirs, why is yours?" Police vehicles lined up near the demonstrators.

On Monday, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, who helped start the series of lawsuits that led the court to strike down California's one-man-one-woman marriage laws, presided at the wedding of Del Martin, 87, and Phyllis Lyon, 83.

Newsom picked the couple for the only ceremony Monday in City Hall in order to recognize their 55-year relationship and their status as pioneers of the gay rights movement. More than 650 same-sex couples have made appointments to get marriage licenses in San Francisco before the end of the month.

Newsom called officiating the wedding "this extraordinary and humbling gift." After the mayor pronounced Martin and Lyon "spouses for life," the couple kissed, then emerged to a crowd of well-wishers who showered them with rose petals.

The celebrations are tempered by the reality that in a few months, Californians will go to the ballot box to vote on an initiative that would overturn the high court ruling and again ban gay marriage.

On Monday, three lawmakers and a small group of other same-sex opponents gathered outside the Capitol to criticize the Supreme Court decision. They urged voters to approve the ballot measure.

"This is an opportunity to take back a little bit of dignity ... for kids, for all of us in California," Republican Assemblyman Doug LaMalfa said. "It really disturbs me that the will of the people was overridden by four members of the Supreme Court."

In both San Francisco and Beverly Hills, where two women became the first same-sex couple in Los Angeles County to marry legally, small groups of protesters waved signs with sayings like "Repent or Perish," but they were outnumbered by supporters waving rainbow-striped flags.

Groups that oppose same-sex marriage have pursued several legal avenues to stop the weddings. On Monday, just hours before the ruling went into effect, a conservative legal group asked a Sacramento court to order the California agency that oversees marriages to stop issuing gender-neutral marriage licenses.

A hearing was set for Tuesday.

A UCLA study issued last week estimated that half of California's more than 100,000 same-sex couples will get married over the next three years, and 68,000 out-of-state couples will travel here to exchange vows.

Same-sex couples rush to tie the knot - CNN.com

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Foxrac

Ouch, I can't believe about some religious people are join protest against homosexual, even harassing at couples and seems like society in America isn't more tolerate to homosexual, unlike in Europe, South America and some part of Asia and South Africa.

I'm really can't understand about some religious people want keep harassing at them, just feel like give an limited freedom for GBLT who want expands the rights as straight does, some people are talking about gay marriage destroys society and their religion belief, again, not everyone has same religion and same belief, we have numerous of different religion in around world, some of them are accept and some are more tolerate to GLBT and religious people need to believe in themselves, not bother to GBLT or other thing. For society, some people said GBLT isn't accept society, however it has nothing with society and if it has anything with society then it's your opinion, none of them are fact.

GLBT is part of lifestyle, they are deserved to have same rights as straight people does, being hate isn't okay and not everyone are same.

I'm really wish that America will be more tolerate to homosexual without any protest or against them, however hate crime against sex orientation has been went up and some people can't handle with something that's unacceptable to society or their religion, I'm expected to be more tolerate and more acceptable in next 50 years.

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PowerON

people have right to give freedom speech whatever they want to protect.

It goes same thing to other people who protect on war, right, etc... oh well.

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deafdyke

I'm VERY excited about this, since my uncles in California can get married now. I'm actually going out in October for their wedding!

bluesouth

I agreed with PoweON ( 100 % ) but some religious should not harassing at same-sex couples . ONLY God can curse on sins . He created a man and a woman in one but not two .. Satan created a man and a man in many .
Please read Roman 1:24,24-26 and Lev 20:13 and Lev 18:22
Do not forget about John 3-16-21 . I have a nice gay and lebaisn friends that they helped me . They choose thier bad or good in thier secret sins .
I am not lebasin . I am against same-sex marriage .. LET God judge all people on the world . I love my nice gay friend because he cheer me up sometime and clean jokes .

~SG~

Joanie56,

Just a friendly reminder, religion discussion aren't allowed anywhere in AllDeaf, due to the Religion forum is closed.

More information about Religion discussion.

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Byrdie714

The interesting thing about all of this is what it will do to the economy of California as they are predicting a $ 634 million dollar windfall for the state in terms of gay marriage.

Foxrac

Thanks, SG.

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Foxrac

Yup, that's great because CA allows people from out of state to marry in CA, unlike in Mass.

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deafdyke

Oh b/c of ALL those FABLOUS gay marraiges? (you know I thought we had one of those "limp wrist smilies?)
Joanie, that's simply YOUR interpretation of Bible verses. Besides, there's a verse that says that women should be silent in church. Some people might interpret that as saying that women should be silent in spirtual matters!

shel90

[quote=deafdyke;1011286]Oh b/c of ALL those FABLOUS gay marraiges? (you know I thought we had one of those "limp wrist smilies?)
Joanie, that's simply YOUR interpretation of Bible verses. Besides, there's a verse that says that women should be silent in church. Some people might interpret that as saying that women should be silent in spirtual matters![/QUOTE]


That is seriously retarded...Good for those couples for tying the knot!

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~Shel~

"A child educated only at school is an uneducated child." -George Santayana

Byrdie714

No doubt that gay marriages will give heterosexual marriages a run for their money!

It will be a lot more elaborate!

shel90

LOL! I wish it was legal in all states. I cant imagine not being able to marry someone I love because of some stupid religion groups protesting against it. It is just pathetic...pathetic.

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"A child educated only at school is an uneducated child." -George Santayana

KarissaMann05

Each human dervse (sp) a happiness...

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deafdyke

This is truely exciting. Social change and thus revolution is at hand!

Byrdie714

Do you have a womyn that you are going to ask to marry?

PuyoPiyo

So awesome! But I still am disappoiment about those protestors against homosexual, they have been kept forget that it doesn't affect to them anything, plus it's not fair for them to prohibit homosexual marriage just because other don't believe in it which are totally unfair, plus it's not fair for homosexual marriage to be illegal while they allow the porns.

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