16 ju s t o u t
march 5.2004
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G
ason Evans went to San Fran
cisco with a migraine and came
home with a husband. The
financial aid officer and his
partner, Boh Richardson, were
among the hundreds of couples who
lined up at San Francisco City Hall
during Valentines Day weekend to
become the first gay Americans to
legally marry in the United States.
Last month, newly elected Mayor
Gavin Newsom asked city clerks to
remove all references to gender on
marriage fonns and promised to begin
issuing licenses to same-sex couples.
G>nservative groups threatened to
sue under Proposition 22, a 2000 bal
lot initiative that says California will
recognize only marriages between a
man and woman as valid. And so, in
a display of heroic civil disobedience,
Newsom sped up his timetable and
ordered city officials to begin issuing
the licenses immediately.
Newsom says the California Con
stitution’s equal protection clause
makes denying maniage licenses to gay Bob Richardson (left) didn’t want to marry Jason Evans
couples illegal and therefore nullifies until they could do it legally in the United States
Proposition 22. Regardless of which
side wins, San Francisco hasn’t felt an explosion
completely around the enormous building. As
like this since the famous earthquake in 1906; so one of the first couples married on Valentine’s
far, more than 3,500 couples have been manied.
Day, the newlyweds were greeted by cheers from
Evans and Richardson have been together for the waiting throngs.
3 1/2 years and became engaged last summer
As Evans puts it, “We wanted to be a part of
when Evans proposed at Bridal Falls near Skama the most important homosexual event in histo
nia Lodge. The only hitch was that Richardson
ry since Stonewall.”
didn’t want to marry until they could do it legal
Waiting 2 1/2 hours feels like child’s play to
ly in the United States. So, after Mayor Newsom
Portlanders Tay Juncker and Kathy Beige. The
issued his prcxdamation, Richardson says, “I got
couple, who have been together for 12 years, were
down on my knee when Jason got home from
also in line that weekend. But for most of their
work and asked him to elope with me.”
wait, they didn’t know whether they would get in.
Despite Evans’ migraine, the couple jumped
Like many gay Portlanders, Juncker and
into a rented Pontiac with an assortment of snacks
Beige were carefully following the developments
and a six-pack of Red Bull to sustain them through-
in San Francisco. On Saturday morning, when
exit the 12-hour drive. They anived at City Hall at
the city was still issuing licenses, Beige turned to
6 a.m. Saturday, pumped full of caffeine and excite Juncker and said, “Honey 1 don’t want to regret
ment. One other couple already were there. Since
that we didn’t take part in this historic event.”
it was so early, Evans and Richardson drove the car They jumped onto the Internet, found inexpen
to a friend’s and returned at 7:30 a.m. to find that
sive plane tickets and were at the airport three
the line was now more than 40 people long.
hours later preparing to hoard.
Fortunately, the first couple had told every
After a quick tour of the Castro, where the
one about the hoys who drove all night from
mood was jubilant (“People were everywhere
Portland and so, according to Evans, “when we
looking at rings, and you could tell they had
arrived everyone was waving and cheering to us,
been doing a booming business that week,”
and they rushed us up to the front of the line.”
Beige says), they turned in early because they
A s they did, cameras arrived and the telegenic
had been warned that the line would he long.
couple were interviewed by several journalists.
On Sunday morning they arrived at City
(In fact, footage of them ran all weekend on
Hall, where more than 50 couples already were
C N N , which is how Richardson’s paternal
in line. “An hour or two later," Juncker explains,
grandmother learned he was gay.)
“some guy came out and told us we were on the
At 10 a.m., the doors to City Hall opened,
wrong side of the building. We ended up being
and Evans and Richardson proudly entered the
even further hack in line.”
building, a sense of awe and history overwhelm
But then came potentially devastating news:
ing them. They were married on the balcony of
320 couples who had waited in line Saturday
the rotunda by a city worker who was deputized
had been told to return at 10 a.m. Sunday, when
to perform weddings. A number of other cere they would he brought to the front of the line.
monies were going on at the same time.
That meant only another 80 couples would he
“It was really pretty,” Evans says. “The cere married that day.
mony t<x)k about four minutes, and we cried like
“They handed out 80 tickets, and we were
big old sissies.”
about 14 couples behind those 80,” Beige explains.
When the couple finally left with their mar “At that point, the liaison to the mayor pointed to
riage license in hand, the line stretched almost
a woman in a white sweater behind us and said:
a m e !?