Spring Break
SJSU student weds same-sex partner in San Francisco
heresa Smith
Daily Staff Writer
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On Tuesday, Feb. 17, Kemmet and McCallister were among the hundreds of people at San Francisco City Hall awaiting a marriage license. The two, who have been together for five years and engaged since August, arrived at City Hall at 10:30 a.m. The line was extremely long with hundreds of people, including reporters, onlookers, some protesters and anxiously waiting couples, Kemmet said.
"Doors did not open until 11 a.m. because they were waiting for an injunction," said Kemmet, referring to legal challenges to San Francisco's new definition of marriage.
"The process took until 4:30 p.m. We went through security, into the county clerk's office, filled out the application, paid our fees, our information was processed into the system, and then we received a license number," Kemmet said.
A small ceremony was included, and the couple said the process cost them about $150.
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom is being accused by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and several others of violating California state law by issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Newsom said by not granting same-sex marriages the law would be discriminatory, according to a CNN report.
The state of California defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman, according to a Feb. 24 White House press release of remarks made by President George W. Bush.
Kemmet said she feels the term for "marriage" should be just that or something else, but it should apply to everyone, not just straight couples.
"There should be a name for everyone. I call what Melinda and I have a partnership," Kemmet said. "I'll call it a commitment anytime."
The president is not the only one talking up same-sex marriages. Late-night talk show host Jay Leno found the topic interesting enough to include in his nightly monologue by referring to events in San Francisco as "Same Sex in the City."
The couple, who plan to have a formal wedding ceremony in October, has experienced smirks and stares while in public together, but it doesn't bother them, Kemmet said.
"We don't look gay," she said. "You just have to learn how to ignore it and put your blinders on."
McCallister, who recently came back from Europe, was overjoyed when Kemmet told her of the idea to go to San Francisco.
"It was Jennifer's idea. It was a great opportunity. I don't know how it will fare in the rulings with judges, but I thought it was something that we should do," McCallister said.
Responding to Bush's call Tuesday for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to ban gay marriages, McCallister said, "I have no feelings for the president, and I think this is a part of his political gain."
The Constitution calls for a two-thirds majority vote in the House of Representatives and the Senate to pass an amendment. An amendment must also be approved by three-fourths, or 38, of the 50 states.
"Forty or 50 years ago, they said people could not have interracial marriages, but yet they passed that. It shouldn't matter whether it's between a man and a woman," McCallister said. "What makes someone better than the other? Love is love. A family unit is what I think a marriage is."
Kemmet, who says her marriage license looks identical to her mother's license, says she is more concerned with the legal aspects of the marriage.
"I am thinking about what legal rights I have when it comes to hospitals, insurance and financially," Kemmet said. "I want to know what the future holds for our kids, because we do plan on having kids."
The two want to make sure the same rights apply to them as to straight couples.
"If something would happen to me, I would want Melinda to be there to make the decisions for me," Kemmet said.
"The president is shying away from the issue a little because if he makes too strong of a stand on it he is going to lose people. He is touching on it but being very careful about it," Kemmet said.
Kemmet said she was recently browsing the Web and reading about all the couples who married and how happy they seemed.
"People should be able to marry, whether it's a man and a man, woman and a woman, or man and a woman," she said. "Why would it hurt to see people married? It makes me happy."
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