Barney Frank Marriage: Retiring Congressman Intends To Marry Longtime Partner Jim Ready

WASHINGTON--Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) intends to marry his longtime partner, Jim Ready, according to his office.

"Barney is planning to get married to his partner Jim Ready. The ceremony will take place in Massachusetts," Harry Gural, Frank's spokesman, told HuffPost.

A date has not been set.

Frank announced last November that he was retiring at the end of his term. Frank initially said that he was running for re-election, but said he changed his mind after the state's redistricting process would have forced him to run in a new district with many constituents he had never represented before.

He first won election to Congress in 1980.

Frank came out publicly as gay in 1987, blazing the trail for other openly gay public officials.

Frank met Ready in October 2005 at a fundraiser in Maine. After Ready's partner died in January 2007, the two began a relationship.

Frank expanded on setting a personal example for gay rights in a recent interview with the Boston Globe."It's one thing to say 'I'm not prejudiced against a person who is a gay,'" he said. "It's an entirely different matter to accept that person in their personal relationships. So over the past five years or so, Jimmy [Ready], my partner, and I have made it a point to attend events together, to go to public places as a couple. It's important that people see that."

Massachusetts is one of six states, and the District of Columbia, to grant same-sex marriages.

Ryan Grim contributed reporting.

Comments

[snide7242ca]

05:18 PM on 02/17/2012

Barney will surely be missed. He can think on his feet and he is also sarcastically funny.

[Loyal Hoosier]

11:56 AM on 01/29/2012

Agree and wonder if their nuptial ceremony will be on primetime on CBS,NBC,& ABC? Will OB,Nancy, and Reid attend? What a great opportunity for them all to show how supportive they are.

[Highly Opinionated]

10:33 AM on 01/29/2012

Oh he will make a lovely blushing bride. Strapless gown in virginal white and a tricky peek-a-boo view of his cleavage. Think he will leave the chest hair? the Ying and Yang so to speak?

[FR]

02:36 PM on 01/28/2012

Cheers and best wishes!!

[Cynthia Meyerhoefer]

07:19 PM on 01/27/2012

Everybody loves a wedding. I hope they are able to keep their garb secret until the big day, like Kate. I would hate to see spoilers around the internet.

[FR]

02:33 PM on 01/28/2012

That is such a lovely comment!!

[Since59]

03:34 PM on 01/27/2012

Congratulations to the lovely couple!!!

[Rich914]

03:23 PM on 01/27/2012

How does Jimmy know when Barney's frank is ready?

[Rich914]

03:21 PM on 01/27/2012

Its about time those two got married, they've been living in sin up until now.

[bolduc999]

11:03 AM on 01/27/2012

Upon hearing the news of the pending Frank/Ready nuptials, I informed my loving wife that since two men who were in love and committed to each other were now getting married that Western Civilization itself was obviously on its final legs, and that our contented heterosexual marriage of many years was somehow fatally wounded, and that we might as well throw in the towel right now and maybe try out that "open marriage" thing that Newt was referring to. She didn't miss a beat, and told me that if I didn't start washing out my coffee cup and putting it in the dishwasher when I was done that there would be hell to pay -- I really can't win!

Congratulations Barney and Jim! I wish you many years of happiness.

[ProfessorBrooks]

10:59 AM on 01/27/2012

The most significant question, politically, was not answered: will they marry before his term ends and thus be the first openly gay MARRIED congressman in U.S. History? Let's hope so.

[Jenny Olson]

03:50 AM on 01/27/2012

There my friends goes one of the last honest politicians in American.....right down the aisle to bliss! Congrats Congressman on FINALLY being able to have marital bliss/strife(same difference) after all of you years of service! WE ARE PROUD OF YOU!

[Richard Palmer]

03:22 AM on 01/27/2012

As we can see from the blogs, there are still a lot of prejudiced participants who would rather see the world never make any progress but rather stay just as it is because the change makes them uncomfortable. The words his life partner were introduced to accomodate to new realities. Sure, the jokers get their kicks by saying the new first lady would be a man but that does not mean that someday two males could not head up the government. In our age of unenlightenment, who would have ever thought that a black married couple would run the White House. Some would prefer that they be the janitor and the maid but times are changing in spite of the conservatives. Our old system gave us a put down word for every minority. We still know what they are and our prejudiced groups kick back against Political Correctness. They miss being able to call each group by its put down nickname. The Republicans make up the largest part of the Archie Bunker group and they pass their hatred down to their children. Remember the song from "South Pacific", You've Got To Be Taught. Luckily, the younger generation is getting away from a lot of that hatred although religion does its best to keep the old fires well stoked.

[Highly Opinionated]

12:07 PM on 01/29/2012

Did you watch the video? What an insulting clod he is. He deserves everything he gets.

[Loyal Hoosier]

01:21 PM on 01/29/2012

Absolutely agree. What a miserable human being.

[sweatermoose]

12:45 AM on 01/27/2012

Mazel tov, Mr. Frank. I hope you have a great retirement and marriage. You deserve it.

[dogs4pete]

11:53 PM on 01/26/2012

Congrats Barney and Ready, BTW who is the bagger here?

[carrot6]

10:59 PM on 01/26/2012

Pimpin Barney!!!