We walked into San Francisco's city hall today, put down our bags at security, and the security guard beamed at us and said, "County clerks office is down the hall and to the left."
"We... um... what?"
(Grin) "Down the hall to your left."
"Um, we're here for a marriage license?"
At which point the guard totally cracked up, "Girlfriend, please. With a grin like that on his face? Like you could be here for anything else."
It felt like a tiny taste of what the wedding might be like, and it did feel auspicious and giddy and free. I was so excited and shaky that I made David double check my part of the form, because I was sure that I'd gotten something wrong.
And then, there was a moment where it was really bittersweet. We got our number, and all I could think of was this wedding. I stood in line, feeling on top of the world, and then realized that there was a huge chunk of our community, and many of our nearest and dearest who didn't have the right to stand in the line at the county clerks office, who didn't get to be grinned at by the security guard. We got our form, and I immediately asked David, "Have they changed the forms back after Prop 8?" It turned out they hadn't. David and I each filled out our names, and then we had a choice to designate ourselves as bride and groom. We didn't. It was a small protest, but it was the protest we had available to us. We will have a un-gendered marriage. And next time someone tells me "But you *have* to, you're a BRIDE." I can say with total honesty, "But I'm not actually a bride. I'm Person A." And that feels really wonderful.
From one person A to another, congratulations :)
June 22, 2009 11:02 pm
Report this comment
|
Meg, I have had your blog in my google reader for a while. I love reading about your journal. I about died when I saw you link to my cousin's wedding!! Tracy (of Tracy & Leslie) is my only female cousin on my father's side of the family. How awesome to see her wedding being celebrated on a blog I read!!
June 23, 2009 12:21 am
Report this comment
|
Congrats for your licence ! ;-)
June 23, 2009 12:38 am
Report this comment
|
Nicely done, person A.
June 23, 2009 3:21 am
Report this comment
|
Perfect!
June 23, 2009 4:47 am
Report this comment
|
Our officiant refused to sign our marriage license on the day of the wedding because she felt that if she couldn't sign everyones, she would sign none at all. I thought she had the right idea and I think your mini protest was great as well!
June 23, 2009 5:03 am
Report this comment
|
Congratualtions. What a fantastic post. I felt like I took the trip down to city hall with you.
June 23, 2009 5:50 am
Report this comment
|
person A's unite!
June 23, 2009 5:59 am
Report this comment
|
Dear Meg, I love you.
June 23, 2009 6:20 am
Report this comment
|
Hum. I think Team Practical is really made up of Person A's, not so much brides, huh?
I wonder what blog Person B's read?
June 23, 2009 7:05 am
Report this comment
|
This whole post is fabulous. I love the part about the clerk, and I love the Person A part even more. I don't know what PA licenses look like, but I hope that's an option!
June 23, 2009 7:32 am
Report this comment
|
YAY! I admire you so much right now!
June 23, 2009 7:41 am
Report this comment
|
I wish there was a "love" button you could click for entries. Oh well…
LOVE!
June 23, 2009 8:13 am
Report this comment
|
Here's a vote for person A!
June 23, 2009 8:25 am
Report this comment
|
ooohhhhhhhhh, congratulations! On the wedding cert. and the stand.
June 23, 2009 8:25 am
Report this comment
|
eeeee what a great post. I can't wait to be person a.
June 23, 2009 9:01 am
Report this comment
|
That is awesome. Hooray for you, Person A.
June 23, 2009 9:08 am
Report this comment
|
Person A is more your style, I love that you were grinning at the court house.
June 23, 2009 9:28 am
Report this comment
|
You two are just lovely. Ed and I are cheering you on from here!
June 23, 2009 9:47 am
Report this comment
|
Congratulations Meg!!! It's the little celebrations along the way!
June 23, 2009 9:48 am
Report this comment
|
Dude. That's what we're doing this afternoon. Crazy.
June 23, 2009 10:05 am
Report this comment
|
That's awesome.
lol, if you were having a cake topper, a great big A & B would be perfect.
June 23, 2009 10:24 am
Report this comment
|
This is fanstastic!
June 23, 2009 10:24 am
Report this comment
|
Momentous! Congrats! You're getting so close now, love, enjoy every second of it!
June 23, 2009 10:47 am
Report this comment
|
great post.
signed, person b.
June 23, 2009 11:12 am
Report this comment
|
Congrats! That's terrific, and I wish Maryland would let us be person A and person B!
June 23, 2009 11:24 am
Report this comment
|
Aw. I love you.
June 23, 2009 11:25 am
Report this comment
|
I think this might be your best blog yet! Thanks for posting!!!
June 23, 2009 12:27 pm
Report this comment
|
please stop making me cry with all your lovey dovey happy moving posts. Do you not have a little snark for us please? Just a little. Thanks. xx
June 23, 2009 12:33 pm
Report this comment
|
you just made me cry. that's so beautiful. congratulations!
June 23, 2009 1:45 pm
Report this comment
|
You just got me a little verklepmt at work :) What a sweet idea. Congratulations to you and Person B.
June 23, 2009 1:45 pm
Report this comment
|
How about Thing One and Thing Two? I would like Thing One and Thing Two.
(Congratulations, Meglet, and happies to you.)
June 23, 2009 1:48 pm
Report this comment
|
It's snark you want P&P;? Oh I see, you want me to talk about how I feel about the term "branding your wedding?" There is still time yet.
Hee.
June 23, 2009 2:13 pm
Report this comment
|
I loooooove that our paperwork allows for this kind of language as well. Hooray for Person A (and let us not forget the oft-forgotten person Bs).
Also Meg, I definitely do want to hear how you feel about the term "branding your wedding". That would be fun. :)
June 23, 2009 2:28 pm
Report this comment
|
Here's to all the Person A's & B's. We'll get there.
June 23, 2009 3:03 pm
Report this comment
|
We had a similar situation happen to us at City Hall! :D
Haven't you already branded your wedding, though? Practical?!
June 23, 2009 3:09 pm
Report this comment
|
Practical was never a brand, it was a accident, if a happy one. :)
June 23, 2009 3:17 pm
Report this comment
|
PS
David had his chance to be Person A, but he gave that up. He noted that he might have given it up for life ;)
June 23, 2009 3:18 pm
Report this comment
|
that's great.. congratulations :)
June 23, 2009 5:48 pm
Report this comment
|
Way to make a statement! :-)
June 23, 2009 6:03 pm
Report this comment
|
Wonderful post!! Yay for you!
June 23, 2009 7:05 pm
Report this comment
|
My fiance and I just applied for our license last week. We felt equally giddy, but during our oath I felt a twinge of sadness when Aaron had to swear that we were one man and one woman. I hope that changes soon in MN.
June 23, 2009 7:11 pm
Report this comment
|
Oh, that's so wonderful! Congratulations! <3
I'm very glad you were able to remain "Persons A & B"… and wish Michigan didn't suck so much and actually put "Male" and "Female" right on the form. :P
June 24, 2009 6:19 am
Report this comment
|
Nice, Meg.
June 24, 2009 7:00 am
Report this comment
|
Reading things like this reminds me why I'm so lucky to be Canadian- the Ontario licence just asks for the Applicant and Joint Applicant- I don't even see an option to include your gender.
June 24, 2009 8:55 am
Report this comment
|
Best Wedding Blog I read today. Love It Congrats!!
June 24, 2009 9:45 am
Report this comment
|
you're making me cry! and remember my wedding there, and remember shooting tracy and leslie's beautiful, beautiful wedding, and remember shooting all of the other beautiful same sex weddings I got to shoot last year… enjoy those big grins and filling out the giddiest paperwork ever! it's like a gorgeous, emotional DMV ;)
I also remember filling out the form and thinking, wait… are we kinda married now?! it's a different feeling, I think, when you get the license and then get married in the next 15 minutes. but since you sign the license before actually getting married, maybe you and david are already sorta married, and therefore the time between now and the wedding can be your first honeymoon?
June 24, 2009 10:56 am
Report this comment
|
MAZAL TOV for making a day that was sweet and wonderful a gesture of protest and point!!! MAZAL TOV!!!
June 24, 2009 12:58 pm
Report this comment
|
Awww, shit, now I'm crying at the office. Thanks, Meg, for letting me know that people who CAN get married DO think about those of us that "can't" (legally speaking, anyways)- it means so very much. My girlfriend and I will be heading to Canada for our Person A and Person B, as our own otherwise lovely Washington doesn't recognize our marriage. Let me also say thank you for being the first blog I encountered that made me feel normal in the face of the WIC (even gays get the affliction!).
June 24, 2009 2:52 pm
Report this comment
|
omg that is so smart. I wish I had thought of that! I didn't even think of not designating bride and groom as a way of taking a stand.
geniuses!
to my credit we got our marriage license in the middle of a anti prop 8 thing. So we were able to join in. Although frankly, I think its dumb that we even had to join in, there shouldn't have even been a need to oppose prop 8. Prop 8 shouldn't even exist!
with that said, congrats and best wishes.
June 24, 2009 5:15 pm
Report this comment
|