The year in queer
by Bay Windows Staff
Bay Windows
Thursday Jan 1, 2009
http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=&sc2=news&sc3=&id=85291Whew. From California to Connecticut, from Lawrence King to Katherine Patrick, from Mitt Romney's downfall to Del Martin's death, it's been a roller coaster ride of a year for LGBT people near and far. Here's our annual round-up of the year's more memorable moments.
January: Civil unions come to New Hampshire
Bundled against the freezing temperatures about three dozen same-sex couples said "I do" as Granite Staters gay and straight celebrated the implementation of the state's civil union law in front of the New Hampshire State House minutes after the start of the New Year.
In the glare of a TV camera's light and with two reporters hovering around them, state Rep. Gail Morrison and her partner of 26 years, Pauline Chabot, were joined in a civil union by the Rev. Tess Baumberger of the Unitarian Universalist Society of Franklin, the church that Morrison and Chabot attend together. "Our years together have been filled with love for each other and our families," Morrison told Chabot, whose face was wet with tears, during their exchange of vows. "We hav e experienced ... the beauty of the life around us and we've experienced pain and hardship and survived the stronger together. I promise to cherish you through our days together and always."
New Hampshire was the first state to legislate civil unions without a lawsuit to force the issue.
