ChuckD
The Gay Lord of Freestyle
SAN FRANCISCO - The freewheeling US city of San Francisco made history by granting the first ever same-sex marriage licenses to an elderly lesbian couple as part of a challenge to a ban on gay marriage.
Del Martin, 83, and Phyllis Lyon, 79, said "I do" at the city hall after Mayor Gavin Newsom ordered officials to wed gay couples and issue marriage licenses in an act of civil disobedience against a state law that bars same-sex marriages.
City official Mabel Teng officiated over the ceremony for Martin and Lyon, exchanging the traditional phrase of "husband and wife" for "spouse for life."
Instead of calling them "bride" and "groom", the wedding licence application listed the couple as "1st applicant" and "2nd applicant."
The decision to challenge marriage laws was taken late Wednesday, the San Francisco Chronicle said, and city workers spent Thursday morning altering official marriage forms to reflect the change.
Del Martin, 83, and Phyllis Lyon, 79, said "I do" at the city hall after Mayor Gavin Newsom ordered officials to wed gay couples and issue marriage licenses in an act of civil disobedience against a state law that bars same-sex marriages.
City official Mabel Teng officiated over the ceremony for Martin and Lyon, exchanging the traditional phrase of "husband and wife" for "spouse for life."
Instead of calling them "bride" and "groom", the wedding licence application listed the couple as "1st applicant" and "2nd applicant."
The decision to challenge marriage laws was taken late Wednesday, the San Francisco Chronicle said, and city workers spent Thursday morning altering official marriage forms to reflect the change.
