A few weeks back, on a summertime visit to my family in Montreal, I wrote about two of my parents’ closest friends, a couple for 25 years, planning to finally tie the knot now that gay marriage is official and legally enshrined in Canada at a federal level — one of only a handful of countries where this right exists. More surprising to me was that my father, an attorney, was to officiate at the ceremony. Most surprising of all, however, was the overall blasé-ness of all parties involved, who’d make so little hay of it I only found out about the whole affair as a passing conversational remark.
Well, last weekend they did the deed! It’s still surreal to me, living in a country where this is now hotly contested, to see a marriage certificate with the names of two men on it — no different than such certificates for straight couples:
Both parties and family members were thrilled and deeply moved… and my seven-year-old niece, upon hearing that the two men (whom she’s known all her life) had gotten married, responded with a joyous “cool!” on hearing the news. It’s good to see that the next generation is taking these changes in stride… and far’s we can all tell, the institution of marriage in Canada seems to be doing just fine.
Congratulations guys… you’re a beacon to the rest of us!
Tags: 1 Comment
It was, indeed, a moving and dignified ceremony, and all those present (including the groom and groom) were somewhat teary-eyed! While acceptance is still a battle for many gays, same sex marriage is becoming more and more of a non-issue, especially in Quebec, and more and more gay men and women feel safe and comfortable coming out of the closet and leading perfectly normal and honest lives. May this acceptance continue and spread to all parts of the enlightened world!