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Loading ...‘Bride’, ‘groom’ restored to Calif. forms
10.07.2008 1:26pm EDT
(San Francisco, California) The words “bride” and “groom” will reappear on all marriage license applications issued in California starting next month, state health officials said.
In a notice posted on its Web site, the California Department of Public Health says it is making the change because many couples still wanted the option of identifying themselves in traditional terms.When same-sex marriage became legal in the state on June 16, the health department issued new gender-neutral marriage forms with the words “Party A” and “Party B” where “bride” and “groom” used to be.
The latest paperwork, which county clerks will be required to use starting Nov. 17, will have blank spaces for applicants’ names and personal information next to the words “First Person Data” and “Second Person Data” and optional boxes for checking “bride” or “groom.”
Because “bride” and “groom” appear in both sections, couples could check the same title twice to reflect a union between two men or two women. The health department also told county clerks that the designation of Groom or Bride is not required.
But in the time since, state officials have looked for alternatives to satisfy couples who did not like the ring of “Party A” and “Party B,” spokeswoman Suanne Buggy said Monday.
The department thought it had to remove “bride” and “groom” from marriage certificates to comply with the California Supreme Court decision that legalized same-sex marriage, she said.
California has an initiative on the November ballot that would ban same-sex marriage.
Sounds like the California Department of Public Health is preparing for Prop. 8 to pass. While they are at changing the form again, they should make it easier for the bigots to identify same sex couples by adding two check boxes for same sex or opposite sex.
So tell me – where is all the HOLLYWOOD money to defeat this? Aren’t there a gazillion GLBT people in that town? I’ve heard from Brad Pitt and Steven Spielberg but not a word from the big divas or other big players… when push comes to shove, they have been disarmingly quiet. If this bill does pass, I’ll be making a personal checklist of every entertainer whose careers have basically been kept afloat by GLBT people and if the DIDN’T contribute something (cash, make a statement etc.) – they won’t be getting a cent of my consumer money in the future. Quick to take our cash but ever so slow to give much in the way of real substance back when it means more now than ever.
The forms need to account for both gay and straight marriages. Many people are just not used to Party A and Party B, that kinds of demaans and trivializes their wedding certificate and gives such a bad taste to this event. To have places on the form for 2 brides or 2 grooms or 1 bride and 1 groom works for me. No need at all to remove bride and groom. Just allow place for checking any combination the occasion calls for.
If I a man, were marrying a man in CA, I want to call him my groom not my Party A or my Party B. ugh! Terms so cold, unappealing and bsuinesslike and such a let down for what should be the biggest and happiest day of my life, marrying the man I love.
I Agree with Morgan. It is the proper way to handle this. Besides, when you get your actual license it doesn’t mention Bride or groom. This is just an application and I think CA has come up with a good compromise.
Now about Prop 8. Calm Down a bit. We’re still winning the battle at the polls and the hearts and minds of the California people. Everytime Palin and McCain open their fat dumb mouths another Democrat decides to vote.
Yes, we need Arnold to make a commerical right about now. We need the No on Prop 8′ers to challenge the lies in the pro- prop 8 commercials. That would help.
But never forget that even if PROP 8 passes, the California Supreme Court has already said it will be declared illegal and unconstitional. Their ruling applied to past propositions and any future propositions to come.
Hang on, fight hard, keep the faith, and never, ever let them see you sweat!
My wife and I gave $250 before we got married and another $250 after we got married ti fight the proposition. It won’t affect our marriage since it is not retroactive, but we need to fight hard. The best way to get federal rights is to win this big in California.
Where are Ellen’s, Portia’s, Rosie’s, Melissa’s, and Tammy’s donations? (Sorry I can only come up with Lesbians at the moment). Just because some are now legally married doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t fight for the generations that follow or for those who just haven’t met their true love yet.
Sorry Roger Ramjet, but the most recent polls suggest just the opposite, we are lLOSING I got married on September 13 so I do hope my marriage will still be legal if the bigots do win in November. I also have to agree with Chris Sullivan and Cindy and ask where are the celebrities??? We support them at every step. We go to there movies and watch their TV shows. Where is their money to help us? Steven Spielberg came up to bat, so did Brad Pitt, where is everyone else??? Right now I am in an argument with my new husband (but my 25 year partner), however!!! I am still his husband as he is mine. This should remain legal forever!, arguments or not. I agree wholeheartedly with Chris and Cindy, it is time for the entertainment industry to step up and help us!
CONGRATULATIONS Peter to you and your husband. We were married August 10 after 10 years together.
The Certificate of Marriage, which my spouse and I (together for thirty-three years)received four years ago when we were married in Vancouver, B.C., Canada, just made note of our names and our gender. We were fine with that. We would have been deeply offended if we were offered only the hetero-centric “husband”/”wife” designation. I agree that the “Party A” and “Party B” label does sound rather undistinguished and too legalistic. But “bride”/”groom” sounds perfectly ok to me.
As I stated, we were only required to check the box labeled “SEX” in Canada. At the time, I felt like penciling in YES and lots of it, but we were just offered the “M” or “F” alternatives. By the way, Vancouver is one of the most beautiful places to get hitched. Still, Bill and I would have preferred to had been married in a dusty old county court house in Kansas, two thousand miles closer to home in our own country, rather than driven out of our nation of birth in order to be married. Regardless, I believe we would have gone to Antarctica and invited penguins to our wedding if that was the only alternative.
Love is stronger than hate. The bigots keep forgetting that. That is why we will ultimately win this cruel and pointless “culture war” against us.
~ Bud Evans
http://rainfish2000.blogspot.com
Since the Mormans are donating so much to get Prop. 8 passed in California, maybe there should be an additional form for members of the LDS Church, groom, bride1, bride2, bride3, etc.
15 years ago my partner had a 6 lb tumor that we were told could be cancer. I had no rights to even visit her in the hospital. I was scared to death. We have been together for 22years, raised 5 wonderful children and baby sit our grandchildren 10 hours 5 days a week. I have taught children for 30 years. I just got the chance to marry the person I want to spend the rest of my life with.Don’t you think I have earned that right?