Just Married : Gay Marriage and the Expansion of Human Rights
By Kevin BourassaKevin Bourassa and Joe Varnell made international news headlines and human rights history in January 2001 when they became one of the first gay couples anywhere in the world to be issued a government marriage certificate. The marriage would not become fully legal, however, until the Ontario provincial government registered the marriage, and it refused to do so. Bourassa, Varnell, and their church have brought a lawsuit asking for legal registration, but the case is still in the courts.
Just Married is an account by Bourassa and Varnell of how their church, the Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto, decided to test the Canadian marriage laws, and how they and a lesbian couple agreed to be the ones to make the attempt. Under the Ontario Marriage Act, any adult couple can be granted a marriage license if a church, following ancient tradition, reads the marriage banns on the three Sundays prior to the wedding. Joe and Kevin had long wished to be legally married in their church. They expected controversy, but little expected the massive scale of the international coverage that occurred, as reporting on their intentions and their wedding of them shot across the Internet and their photographs appeared in newspapers not only across North America but also in Europe, Asia, and South America.
Despite the legal and political wrangling, the opposition and support they received, the disputes among religious denominations and organizations, and the glare of the media lights, this remains a story of two people who chose to make a life together and sought the support of both church and state for their marriage. They believe they have taken part in an incredible event-one that will change the world, not just for Canadians, but for citizens, families, and communities everywhere.
Copublished with Doubleday Canada.
The Wisconsin edition is for sale only in the United States.
show more
Book details
- Hardcover
- 288 pages
- English
- 0299178803
- 9780299178802
About Kevin Bourassa
kevin bourassa was Read More about Kevin Bourassa
More Books By Kevin Bourassa
People who bought this also bought
Busting Vegas: A True Story of Monumental Excess, Sex, Love, Violence, and Beating the Odds
Used Book
The Middle Mind: Why Americans Don't Think for Themselves by Curtis White
Used Book
How to Think Like a Roman Emperor: The Stoic Philosophy of Marcus Aurelius
New Book
The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari: A Fable About Fulfilling Your Dreams And Reaching Your Destiny
New Book
Get Over It!: Thought Therapy for Healing the Hard Stuff by Iyanla Vanzant
New Book
I Heard God Talking to Me: William Edmondson and His Stone Carvings
Used Book
An Ideal Critic: Ciceronian Rhetoric and Contemporary Criticism
Used Book
A Bibliography of Printed Battle Plans of the American Revolution, 1775-1795
Used Book
Jewish Wisdom for Business Success : Lessons from the Torah and Other Ancient Texts by Levi Brackman
New Book
Think Small: The Surprisingly Simple Ways to Reach Big Goals by Owain Service
New Book
Martin Luther King Jr. on Leadership : Inspiration and Wisdo
New Book
Captivate: The Science of Succeeding with People by Vanessa Van Edwards
New Book
Prayers for a Planetary Pilgrim: A Personal Manual for Prayer and Ritual
Used Book