Why we don't need to celebrate our relationships at pridefest

If we read in gay history we find that prior to stonewall in 1969 and in prior-years being gay was considered by most people to be an aberration and was unfortunately classified as a psychological problem necessitating institutionalization and some of the most horrific therapies. We were considered to be sexual deviants subject of police raids and incarceration. Then in 1969 something happened at the stonewall inn in New York City with a bunch of female impersonators decided they weren't going to take it anymore, and the riots began and the rest is history.
Years later after the American psychiatric Association dropped homosexuality from the DSM 4 book of diagnostic criteria did we finally decide to celebrate who we are throughout the United States with gay pride celebrations. Somewhere during this time many GL BT individuals and organizations also wanted to celebrate our love for one another and our desire as same-sex couples to protest the laws restricting us from our God-given right to marriage. As a way of publicly protesting many organizations including pridefest decided to hold mass wedding ceremonies as our way to bring our plight to light.

In the meantime many individuals and organizations were pushing within the political arena within many of our capital cities and governmental agencies to push for the right to marry. This in turn caused a backlash within the organized religious communities who collectively worked to ban gay marriage through constitutional amendments starting with Hawaii and continuing across the United States until almost every state banned gay marriage. Although many gay organizations are working to over turn constitutional amendments we still cannot legally marry or be recognized as married couple where we live.

Here in Wisconsin state's constitution has been amended to ban gay marriage. The state and its municipalities no longer recognize a gay marriage. Prior to the state constitution being amended many gay people participated in mass marriage ceremonies at pridefest. After the constitutional amendment was passed a celebration of Mass. marriages celebrated at pridefest dropped dramatically from well over 100 to less than 10. Each year the number had dropped off. As an ordained minister and Deacon for the MCC it has always been my belief that we do not need the government's blessing. If we need anything from the government we can either get it from domestic partnerships or through legal documentation from gay friendly lawyers. It has also been very strongly my belief that a celebration of our partnerships and or commitments are between us and God and not the government. Therefore I highly recommend that we seek out our favorite church to privately celebrate our commitment. We really don't need to do it during the carnival atmosphere of pridefest.