Thursday, June 27, 2013

Down with DOMA!

I woke up this morning to some excellent news. The United States Supreme Court has ruled that the infamous Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is unconstitutional. I haven't read the detailed arguments so I don't know how sweeping a change this decision involves. I gather that the legal challenge was based on the fact that LGBT couples who are legally married in states that permit gay marriage have been denied federal benefits normally available to spouses.Talk about unfair!

In any case, it's one more brick torn from the wall of discrimination, and I'm definitely celebrating! As are many same-sex couples around the country, I'm sure.

To celebrate, I'm sharing a gay marriage excerpt from my M/M paranormal novel Necessary Madness.  And for every comment, I'll donate one dollar to the Lambda Legal Defense Fund, a group that has been in the forefront of the struggle for marriage equality.



Elspeth had decided to marry them in the sunroom. The big glass panes were laced with frost filigree. Candles flickered on all the sills. Outside, the half moon turned the fresh-fallen snow to a glittering blanket of white.

The witch and justice of the peace wore a long red skirt and a white blouse with an antique silver brooch at the throat. She stood with her back to the yard, holding her book. Kyle and Rob faced her, holding hands. The guests clustered around on both sides, some sitting, some standing, all of them smiling. Crowley surveyed the proceedings from his usual spot in the rocker.
 
Elspeth looked around the room. The murmur of conversation died away. Silence reigned. Kyle’s heartbeat was loud in his ears, but as the moment of peace lengthened, his pulse slowed, his breathing deepened, and his anxiety evaporated. This was not a dream, not some product of his fevered imagination. This was real, his true future. He could trust it. It would not fade away.
 
Rob squeezed his hand. Kyle looked up, into eyes so full of love he thought he’d drown. Yes, he broadcast to his lover. Anything. Always.

Robert Francis Murphy, do you take this man, Kyle Dylan McLaughlin, to be your lawfully wedded spouse…” Elspeth began.

I do,” Kyle heard Rob say, in a firm, confident voice, for the assembled and for the world to hear.
 
Yes.


Amen!


22 comments:

felinewyvern said...

Here's your first comment to help with the donations to such a worthy cause. Oh and thanks for the excerpt - very nice!

Alicia said...

Wooohoooo! I'm a 100% complete supporter of all things GAY!!!!! I go back and forth on thi king this is such an amazing event in history to what took so long?!?!?

Ashe Barker said...

Similar debate raged recently in UK. David Cameron is in many respects a bit of a knob-head (local term) but he stuck to his guns over this issue. Quite right too. My teenage daughter is baffled at what the fuss is all about, it's so obvious, surely, that gay couples should have all the same rights as any other couples... So maybe there's hope for a future where discrimination is a quaint, old fashioned thing that old folk used to do

Kimberly B. said...

Hi Lisabet! I was very excited about this news! I live in Minnesota, so gay marriages will be legal here in August. But I'm also from California, so I was excited about the ruling on the unconstitutionality of Prop 8 as well. What a great two-fer!
Thanks for such an awesome giveaway!

Meljprincess said...

Hello Lisabet,
Wonderful news about gay marriage! And about time too. I've always said: What difference does it make who you love as long as you can feel love. I'm very happy for all who will benefit from this historic decision. YAY!!!!
It's very nice of you to donate a dollar for every comment. KUDOS!

Anonymous said...

Hi Lisabet, great of you to support the cause. Loved the extract, too! And wonderful news - here's to the future

JP said...

I guess if the Queen could come out in favour of gay rights so could the SCOTUS - old bats that they are. After trampling on minority voters' rights they had to do something of value. Phil and I will be married when the stay of Prop 8 is lifted. You're all invited! LOL
Cheers from a smiley face, JP

Ladystyx said...

Awesome Excerpt! happy to encourage and add to the Donation Amount.

Unknown said...

Its about time!! So glad when I woke up this morning to hear this. Definitely a step in the right direction, hopefully things will keep moving forward instead of backward.

Anonymous said...

What you are doing, Lisabet, is a wonderful thing. So a big *hugs* to you.
I was proud of my country yesterday, and I hope that that pride grows in the future (hopefully very near future). I cannot even begin to express how disgusted I am that so many feel they have the right to punish people because of who they choose to love. Love is love - no matter what, and we all deserve to be equal!

~Jen

Susan said...

I was glued to my computer, following the events yesterday. I was the first of my group to Twitter about it. I'm so happy that the US is finally living up to its stance on equality!

skadlec1@yahoo.com

Heather Haven said...

In my opinion, we could do with as much love in the world as we can get. Everyone benefits. So any opportunity for two consenting adults to have a positive experience of the joys, riches, respect, and growth that come with being legally bound to the right person, I am 100% for.

H.B. said...

Had to comment show my support for the cause and to thank you for supporting it too. Thanks for the excerpt.

Fiona McGier said...

I agree with Anne S. above, who spoke about the U.K. My own kids are in their early 20s and they don't see what the fuss is about. We brought them up to know that just as you can't choose your hair/eyes/kin color,or your parents, before you're born, your sexual orientation is pretty much set from birth also. My gay cousins and friends are welcome in my house and everyone thinks nothing of it.

This reminds me of when I talk to high school kids about the Loving trial that involved inter-racial marriage and that had to go all the way to the Supreme Court. Mildred made a public statement in support of gay marriage before she passed, saying that who you love is your business, and that's what the Loving case was all about. The teenagers are honestly shocked that in my lifetime, people could be arrested or denied rights for being part of an inter-racial couple. So the hope is that this movement towards freedom of choice is a genie now out of the bottle, and as the older, more rigid folks die off, the younger people will wonder at how anyone ever justified discrimination against marriage rights.

Jamilla said...

I am also down with the Doma and Kudos you for donating. Keep up the great work. :)

Anonymous said...

That was lovely--a great way to mark a momentous occasion!

--Trix

Penumbra said...

Awwww! That short excerpt had me tearing up *sniffle* :)

Lisabet Sarai said...

Hi,everyone!

Thanks for dropping by to help me celebrate! Keep those comments coming!

Anonymous said...

Now we just have to make sure this translates to benefits for the military spouses, especially those that are deployed. The VA has to come up with regulations as well and that could take awhile.
This was great news though and I hope both DoD and the VA will get this done quickly.

Lori R. said...

I am very happy to hear this news too. I feel everyone should be allowed to marry who they love and be allowed to receive the same benefits as M/F couples.

Emily said...

I was so excited when I heard the good news. This is a great step forward in the fight for equality.

Lisabet Sarai said...

Just sent $20 to Lambda Legal. Thanks to you all for helping me to celebrate!

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