Thursday, April 15, 2004
The Boston Globe reports that as of now, Governor Mitt Romney stands alone among the major political figures on Beacon Hill in his opposition to gay marriage. Attorney General Reilly, putting aside his personal opposition to same-sex marriages, is working like a true professional with the licensing clerks in the state to make sure everything is ready on May 17 to issue licenses to gay and lesbian couples. He has also, of course, firmly refused to act as intermediary between the Governor and the Supreme Judicial Court in presenting Romney's request for a stay of the Court's order mandating gay marriage this May.
The surprise today is that House Majority Leader Tom Finneran has declared his withdrawal from further efforts to block the onset of same-sex marriage. The reason may not be any (unlikely) enlightenment on his part but the fact that he's in very hot water right now and has to attend to his survival on another issue. He's a major target of a Grand Jury investigation of the gerrymandering of voting districts in such a way as to reduce as much as possible the ability of the city's minority voters to elect state reps and senators. Finneran has officially denied any responsibility but the Globe reports that the only computer software in the State House intended to deal with the redistricting is in Finneran's office, and there are other indications he was in it up to his neck. It would be wonderful to see the little homophobe brought down, and seeing Romney isolated on this issue isn't exactly unpleasant either.
On the subject of OUR same-sex marriage, Fritz and I have arranged just about eveything we should have been planning and attending to except the issue of what we are going to wear. I know, I know, what kind of homos are we anyway? Neither one of us has ever been a fashion victim, and having the celebratory service at an exquisitely simple antique Quaker Meeting House dictates a certain restraint. At the moment we are thinking of simple pure silk shirts and classically cut slacks.
In other settings, however, we both favor far more adventurous and interesting clothes than the mens' clothing industry believes we should. I do a lot of shopping through ethnic clothing sites on the web and stores when I'm lucky enough to find them. And I often adapt things I find in thrift stores or even make pieces for myself when I have the time. I do not like suit jackets and for formal occasions I wear vests I have either made myself or, in the case of my elder daughter's wedding, had made for me in a truly gorgeous piece of Thai silk brocade. Life is too short to wear drab clothes identical to everybody else's drab clothes.
The surprise today is that House Majority Leader Tom Finneran has declared his withdrawal from further efforts to block the onset of same-sex marriage. The reason may not be any (unlikely) enlightenment on his part but the fact that he's in very hot water right now and has to attend to his survival on another issue. He's a major target of a Grand Jury investigation of the gerrymandering of voting districts in such a way as to reduce as much as possible the ability of the city's minority voters to elect state reps and senators. Finneran has officially denied any responsibility but the Globe reports that the only computer software in the State House intended to deal with the redistricting is in Finneran's office, and there are other indications he was in it up to his neck. It would be wonderful to see the little homophobe brought down, and seeing Romney isolated on this issue isn't exactly unpleasant either.
On the subject of OUR same-sex marriage, Fritz and I have arranged just about eveything we should have been planning and attending to except the issue of what we are going to wear. I know, I know, what kind of homos are we anyway? Neither one of us has ever been a fashion victim, and having the celebratory service at an exquisitely simple antique Quaker Meeting House dictates a certain restraint. At the moment we are thinking of simple pure silk shirts and classically cut slacks.
In other settings, however, we both favor far more adventurous and interesting clothes than the mens' clothing industry believes we should. I do a lot of shopping through ethnic clothing sites on the web and stores when I'm lucky enough to find them. And I often adapt things I find in thrift stores or even make pieces for myself when I have the time. I do not like suit jackets and for formal occasions I wear vests I have either made myself or, in the case of my elder daughter's wedding, had made for me in a truly gorgeous piece of Thai silk brocade. Life is too short to wear drab clothes identical to everybody else's drab clothes.
