Happy pride month from Little Farm!
We are so excited for our first pride month as Little Farmers! We got married June 22, 2013 in New York City. On the exact day of our wedding, our marriage was legally recognized by our city and state, but not by our country.
Little Farmers at our wedding in NYC
For anyone keeping tabs on important dates in civil rights history, that was exactly four days before the Supreme Court issued its ruling in United States vs. Windsor, determining that Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which denied federal recognition of same-sex marriages, was a violation of the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment.
In the majority opinion, Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote, "The federal statute is invalid, for no legitimate purpose overcomes the purpose and effect to disparage and to injure those whom the State, by its marriage laws, sought to protect in personhood and dignity."
We felt unbelievably blessed. The LGBTQ+ community had been fighting for generations for basic equality. And just a few days after our wedding, our brand new marriage became federally recognized! We were standing on the shoulders of giants, not the least of whom was a small-in-stature icon named Edith Windsor.
To Stonewall, of course
Fact: when you live in NYC and things happen in the gay community, you go to Stonewall. The Stonewall riots began on June 28, 1969, after police raided a gay bar named the Stonewall Inn, and the LGBTQ+ community rose up and fought back. The first pride parade was a protest.
Decades later, Stonewall is still the epicenter. After tragic events (like the Orlando nightclub shooting in 2016), amazing celebrations (like DOMA being defeated in 2013), and regular events (like LGBTQ+ friends coming to visit) — Stonewall is the place we gather.
Little Farmers and friends at Stonewall in NYC
On that historic Wednesday in 2016 we were still in the city, getting ready for our (spectacular) honeymoon trip to Barcelona and the Pyrenees. There was really no choice in what to do — we went to Stonewall. I am strangely unable to find any photos from that day, but it’s fresh in my memory.
Christopher Street was blocked off from 7th Ave to Greenwich Ave, but that was not even close to big enough for the jubilant crowd. The celebration overflowed throughout the entire Village. People were dancing in the street, champagne was popping, music was thumping, rainbow flags were flying. There were many, many emotions in the air — I don’t even have words to describe them all — but LOVE and GRATITUDE are the feelings I remember most.
I’ve never seen a crowd react to a speaker with more enthusiasm than was shown to Edie Windsor that evening. We were standing somewhere over toward Sheridan Square, and could only catch an occasional glimpse of the stage. But I honestly feel as if I got to witness something like the Beatles at Shea Stadium in 1965.
And on to Massachusetts
When it came time to leave New York City after many wonderful years, it was critically important to choose a destination where LGBTQ+ equality is valued and respected. I wish this didn’t have to be a consideration. It shouldn’t have to be, but it absolutely still does. We have more work to do, friends.
That said, Massachusetts has high marks for supporting equality. This was the first state to legalize same-sex marriage in 2004. And check out the Human Rights Campaign’s State Equality Index Ratings, which puts Massachusetts, 18 other states, and the District of Columbia in the highest-rated category, “Working Toward Innovative Equality”.
We feel very fortunate to have found our Little Farm in a community here on Cape Cod that is welcoming. We have so many reasons to proudly fly our rainbow flag with joy. Happy pride, everyone!
