lections of a

Justice of the Peace

“ “lay my heart at your
feet — an open book of

promises ...” isjust one
sentiment from one set of vows
I’ve heard since July 1, 2002.

The planning of a nup-
tial ceremony usually begins
with a call from The Phineas
Swann Bed and Breakfast in
Montgomery Center. Michael
and Glenn, the owners, always
say the same thing: “Heather,
you’re going to get a call from a
wonderful couple.” And the calls
do come in. From Georgia,
Mississippi, Illinois, New York,
Oklahoma, Florida, California,
Minnesota, New Jersey, Oregon,
Virginia, Wisconsin, Nebraska,
Massachusetts, Texas and
Pennsylvania.

From the initial phone
contact, I suggest an e-mail
exchange of information. What

Having .
uplifting
encounters
with those

rp«,.r.ri3

 who form life

partnerships
here has been
a boon to my

social and

political life.

does the couple want? What reli-
31°11, theme,‘ location, floral
arrangements, cake, wine,

indoor; outdoor,_reception, guest ,

“SI, music, atmosphere, vows,
rings; photographer and whatever
else comes. into play- Michael,
Cfienfl-.3.Hd’I make it special for I
a . ' . . .

    

  clearing;

oont'd from previous page

'33“ Plugs; not._t.0 «mention that
f"_‘¢:F0manti_c eveningr she first
clunbed;int0 bed sporting a nose
5t“P- Oh, baby!. _

_ ' . I guess there’s no escap-
«mg the hard cold truth that we’ll
needour own condolence card
section too. In addition to the
Standard losses we’ll have our
°“’“ _S0rry to Hear You Got
Seasick on the Olivia Cruise,

 

Forty times I’ve
received this call since July 1,
2000, and I responded as part of
a team of Franklin County hosts
and business people do — with an
all out (pun intended), gang-
buster service that the uniting
couples will forever associate
with warmth, respect, humor and
reverence. In short, Vermont
becomes a part of their vocabu-
lary, forever falling on the posi-
tive side of theircollective mem-
ory’s ledger.

Standing up to my
knees in a river or basking in the
warmth of my own woodstove, a
civil union is always according
to the couple’s taste. When an
opera singer bursts into a Puccini
aria in the middle of the service,
I wonder at my own luck.
Standing before a crowd of forty
individuals from all over the
world while a couple exchanges
vows at the foot of a mountain
has me counting my blessings.

- I live in East Berkshire,
Vermont. In the past two years
my interaction with folks from
‘away’ has multiplied beyond
belief thanks to this great state’s
open-minded and forward-think-
ing Civil Unions law. My friends
from Manhattan, Boston,
Montreal, Toronto and
Philadelphia were aghast when I
entrenched myself in a less-than-
urban existence. “Heather, you’re
dying on the vine!” they’d say.
Of course, I adore my rural life

S and find it much more stimulat-

ing than being stuck in traffic on
the way to somewhere, but I
must say that having socially
uplifling encounters with those
who form life partnerships here
has been a boon to my social and
political life. _
I’ve learned so much

Sorry You l)idn’t Win the
Softball Game, and Sorry I
Burned Out Your Vibrator While

_ You Were Gone. Qards. _ .
My life is going to get a .

lot easier. I won-’t have to draw
in breasts or white out_ the Mr. .
and Mrs. to put in Ms. and Ms.
on wedding cards anymore. I can
skip over those What Is a Sister?
cards that remind me of my
homophobic sibling and bring
home ajust-as—sappy What IS a
Girlfriend? card to my lover-
companion-wife-partner-girl-

about what goes into making a
day special for those who some-
times arrive without the support
of their families. Because of pol-
itics, religion or just plain lack of
funds, couples sometimes have
no one to witness their wedding.
It falls to the Phineas Swann,
local restaurants and me to give
these neophyte civilly united
people a good time and support.
It’s bad enough that gay and les-
bian lovers can’t marry in their
home states, but sadder still
when they must remain closeted
upon their return home. To say
I’m proud’ of Vermont is an

7 understatement. Conversely, I’m

ashamed of the harshness
imposed on our fellow human
beings elsewhere. The universal

_ energy that binds us all makes

allowances for many to pass into
some other dimension that does-
n’t practice acceptance. We’re

» evolving at different rates, I

guess. ~
Being at the right place
at the right time is the story of
my life. My friends are incorrect
in their assumption that living on
route 105 between Richford and
Enosburg isn’t stimulating. I’ve
never been more engaged in the
process of life than right here,
right now. Meeting all the cou-
ples. Discussing how the rest of
America feels about being gay,
transgender, bisexual, a daughter
of Sappho, or whatever makes a
good relationship become one
partnered for life has broadened
my horizons beyond belief. The
country comes to me, a simple
justice of the peace here in rural
Vermont. How cool is that?
When I intone, "By the
power vested in me by this beau-
tiful, wonderful, open-minded

‘ state of Vermont  I now pro-

nounce you Civilly United!" I do
so with a pride and a strength of
purpose for which I’m humbly
grateful. Y

Heather McKeown is the editor
of The Optimist (a monthly /
weekly written by Franklin
County students), a massage
therapist and mediator. She iden-

. tifies as an ally,‘ "she and her hus-

band. live in East Berkshire.

friend who adores me as I am.
That is going to feel great.

Next time I see the-
PFLAG float in a pride parade I
won’t just stand there weeping
openly like I usually do. I’m
going to hand them a great big
Thank You for Taking on
Corporate Heterosexism card! V

Sally Sheklow is a writer who
lives in Eugene, Oregon. Write
her at sally@wymprov. com

Good legal advice
can make all the difference.
V .

Langrock Sperry & Wool offers the services
of 22 lawyers with over 300 years combined experience
in all areas of the law — including two lesbian attorneys
with special expertise serving the legal needs
“ of the g/l/b/t/q community.

   
      
  
 
   
       
   

SUSAN MURRAY & BETH ROBINSON

ll With offices in Middlebury and Burlington
Middlebury (802) 388-6556
Burlington (802) 864-0217
smurray@langrock.com brobinson@langrock.com

Langrock Sperry & Wool, LLP

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