It is more than that

Father's day 2003

Marriage is more than me marrying a guy. It is about family. My family, our family.

Our family is made up of many people. Parents, brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, friends, and many children. The most important is in the picture above, my step-daughter Stephanie. Her Dad and I were not able to marry, yet our relationship was everybit as much a marriage as any out there.

We were denied the opportunity to marry because we were two men. We looked after Stephanie, provided a loving and caring family, were active parents in the schools she attended, the community and I dare say people you would like to have as neighbours.

It amazes me that people could look at our family and say that we were not worthy of marriage. The time is now, so many families deserve to be respected and with due respect to the opponents of my right to marry a man, you are wrong to deny me and wrong to deny Steven, wrong to deny Stephanie. We are Family.

Steven, my partner never did get a chance to marry me, he passed away on June 9, 2002. The picture above is of Stephanie and I.