Peter Shumlin, Vermont Governor, Presides Over Marriage Of Lesbian Couple

MONTPELIER, Vt. — Making good on a campaign promise, Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin married a lesbian couple in a small ceremony in his office.

The first-term Democrat presided over the marriage Wednesday of 55-year-old Michele "Mitch" Beck and 56-year-old Ann Beck, of Royalton. Shumlin led the push to legalize same-sex weddings in Vermont as a state lawmaker in 2009.

Shumlin met the couple at a campaign event when he was running for governor last summer and told them he'd be happy to perform their wedding ceremony if he were elected.

He paid $100 to the Secretary of State's office to be certified as a "temporary officiant," donned a crisp navy suit and did the honors.

Comments

[piperflyer]

09:40 AM on 08/30/2011

And only eight were saved.

[Jackie Gill]

02:13 AM on 08/19/2011

Wow a politician who believes in equality and actually does what he says? Hurry, someone clone him!

[CVaughn]

11:47 AM on 08/18/2011

Thank you, Gov. Shumlin - you once again earned my vote.

As for same sex-marriage, it is pretty simple. Either the rights of marriage need to be afforded every citizen - or the non-religious benefits of marriage (spousal insurance coverage, tax benefits...) need to be taken from every citizen. If the only argument is that it is a "religious institution and thus should be defined by religious beliefs - then it should be PURELY a religious institution and not an economic one.

[Alisa Neely]

09:00 PM on 08/18/2011

i agree.....imo, same-sex couples SHOULD be able to marry in EVERY state in this country....in fact, it should be FEDERAL LAW.

alisa

[Ioan Lightoller]

10:23 PM on 08/18/2011

Fanned and faved. Indeed it should be!

[scottishboy]

11:30 AM on 08/18/2011

Oh, the headline was wrong, he didn't marry them.

[errol44]

10:23 AM on 08/18/2011

Wow... sanity is returning to America little by little. Good job Gov. Shumlin.

[MajorKong]

10:09 AM on 08/18/2011

That's odd. I don't feel any less married than I did before.

[Union Taxpayer]

10:42 AM on 08/18/2011

HeyHey...so dry.

Faved!

[taddles]

12:33 PM on 08/18/2011

That's cause you're not a bagger and can't just pretend to be offended by something that doesn't affect you in the least.

[jcabowers]

08:57 AM on 08/18/2011

Another nail in the coffin of bigotry and discrimination.

[rextrek]

08:53 AM on 08/18/2011

well my partner and I married in VT last yr.....we spent OUR $2500 Vakay Money there...THEY DESERVE it.....we live in NJ - and were NOT gonna settle for Civul union BS...so we spent Our Money where it was warranted and DESERVED!

[Sharon Hunt]

10:01 AM on 08/18/2011

congratulations!!!! )

[CVaughn]

11:38 AM on 08/18/2011

Congratulations...and thank you for visiting our beautiful state!

[Quentinocama]

02:52 AM on 08/18/2011

How cute!

[icon22]

01:36 AM on 08/18/2011

The law may consider them to be "married" but their neigbors and most other people outside their small liberal circle of friends, look at them as something totally different than that. Weird, comes to mind!

[Emmanuel Gonot]

04:26 AM on 08/18/2011

Way to go, governor! Vermont leading the way.

[marecek]

06:53 AM on 08/18/2011

Since the civil institution of marriage is a legal institution, since the law provides for it (the law does not "consider"), they are married. You are perfectly entitled to think whatever you like about it. Enjoy your angry and bitter resentment at the fact that people you don't like are actually being permitted the legal rights that everyone else has. In my book, you are the one who is Weird.

[charlesdickens]

01:19 AM on 08/18/2011

Wonderful...the only good news amidst all of the gloom of debt and war. Perhaps there is a silver lining in this world of ours.

[drmindhealer]

12:11 AM on 08/18/2011

A thousand blessings to them and the great Green Mountain state!

[Franklin1776]

09:17 AM on 08/18/2011

Just like the ones you see everyday in the mirror.

[Georgerz]

11:41 PM on 08/17/2011

We Americans are all proud of you, Mr. Governor.

[steve11407]

12:07 AM on 08/18/2011

not

[billnbstn]

10:00 PM on 08/17/2011

Who cares? I don't care.
More and more people don't care and that's a good thing.
I hope even more people don't care.
Why do you care?

[JustBNice]

10:06 PM on 08/17/2011

Many people do care.

Stop thinking about yourself, put yourself in someone else's shoes someday.

[billnbstn]

10:32 PM on 08/17/2011

Try to be nice. No one should care.

[marecek]

07:05 AM on 08/18/2011

I'm not sure what billnbstn's actual attitude is towards same-sex marriage, but it might be pointed out that "people don't care" is a much better option then people are rising up in opposition. Indifference is at least compatible with a live and let live attitude, than is the attitude, "I care so much, I am going to move heaven and earth to stop other people doing what I don't approve of".

[bluntobject]

12:19 AM on 08/18/2011

Many people care Billo.....what we don't care about is if you care or not. lol