The Newark city school district redacted this photo from the high school yearbook after labeling it "illicit" even though the book featured multiple heterosexual kissing couples.  So the district blacked it out. After a brouhaha erupted, the school district offered to provide an "unredacted" version to anyone who wanted it.   Huh.

Elizabeth Edwards supports gay marriage.

?I don't know why someone else's marriage has anything to do with me,? Elizabeth Edwards said at a news conference before the parade started. ?I'm completely comfortable with gay marriage.?

She made the remark almost offhandedly in answering the final question from reporters after delivering a standard campaign stump speech during a breakfast hosted by the Alice B. Toklas Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Democratic Club, an influential San Francisco political organization. California's presidential primary is Feb. 5, one of the earliest contests in the nation.

She conceded her support puts her at odds with her husband, a former U.S. senator from North Carolina who she said supports civil unions among gay couples ? but not same-sex marriages.

?John has been pretty clear about it, that he is very conflicted,? she said. ?He has a deeply held belief against any form of discrimination, but that's up against his being raised in the 1950s in a rural southern town.?

No serious presidential candidate from either major political party has publicly supported gay marriage.

Cool. I'm still saying Edwards is the man.

The Post-Gazette reports that as part of our city's 250th anniversary, we'll be host to the "World's Largest Wedding Vow Renewal" in February, 2008.  Organizers hope to attract 1,000 wedded couples to renew their vows.  Why?

Two of the themes of the 250th celebration are attracting reunions and homecomings to the city and underscoring family and community ties. Getting a thousand couples to reaffirm their vows is a way to do both.

"It's something that comes straight out of the word 're-union.' I was surprised no one had thought of it already," said Kitty Julian, marketing director of Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History, who came up with the idea. "Pittsburgh is all about love of family, tradition, nostalgia ... This is exactly in that neighborhood."

Something about the phrase "straight out of the word 'reunion'" got me thinking -- would event organizers welcome LGBT couples who are legally married, albeit not in Pennsylvania?  Would they recognize couples who are domestic partnered and civil unioned?  So I dropped Ms. Julian a line to find out. 

Turns out, they will!  Here's what she had to say via email:

Wedding vow renewal isn't a legal event, but is a celebration of love
and family. We'd be honored to have LGBT couples participate. Since this
is a Guinness World Record breaking attempt we are following their
requirement that, "all couples must provide a copy of their original
marriage certificate." They don't seem to specify that it must be from a
specific state. So, as long as people have such a certificate, and
pre-register they are in! I don't know what Guinnness says about civil
unions or even if one gets a certificate in that situation, but we'll
contact them to find out, and will report back what we learn.

So that means all you crazy gay couples who married in Canada, Massachusettes, Europe and beyond ... you get to participate.  Does anyone who has been civil unioned know about the certificate thing? 

After the Guinness ceremony, there will apparently be a mass blessing (no pun intended) led by leaders from multiple local faith communities.  Now that could get interesting...

The date of the ceremony is Sunday, Feb. 10. Those wishing to preliminarily register for the event may contact Carnegie Museums marketing assistant Leigh Kish at 412-578-2571 or kishl@carnegiemuseums.org.

I'm blogging from a Holiday Inn on Long Island where I've been ensconsed for the wedding of my college roommate, BJ, and her now-husband Ron.  I flew into JFK and discovered that one of my bags went missing, thankfully not the one with my wedding attire.  I was not in the wedding party, but showing up in clothing purchased from the Wal-Mart across the street would not be my idea of good fun. The missing bag contained my wedding gift and eventually turned up the following morning.  Dude at luggage central was a little perplexed why I wanted it delivered to a rectory, but I've been embedded with priests and priestly family members all weekend.  This is a cool group of priests - when we rolled in for the wedding rehearsal, the rectory Cocker Spaniel, Ricky, was hanging out near the sanctuary.

Anyway, the weekend involved lots of trips back and forth between Long Island and the Bronx/Queens.  I lost track of how many times.  My job was primarily to remember tasks (pick up this, call that person, etc. )and offer words of condolences during minor catastrophes (the wedding rings were locked up at a jewelers; his mother died and he left town -- it all worked out thanks to the owner of the liquor store next door -- I can't make this up!). 

I've had three limo rides (I was a limo virgin) and two of 'em were Hummer limos (also a Hummer virgin).  To compensate for the latter, I have kept almost every single recyclable item I've had this weekend and plan to bring home with me to recycle (not an option at the Holiday Inn), including 17 water bottles and two mini Pringles plastic containers.  Thankfully, I have the extra tote bag.  Did I mention that Ledcat and I put together a Pittsburgh basket as a wedding gift, thanks to the input of A Pleasant Present.  Ledcat isn't going to be happy when I toss the bag o'recyclables into the car and I'm pretty sure she's not bringing the Hummer.  :-)

I feel sort of maudlin tonight as I sit in my room waiting for the post-reception reception to start hopping in the bar.  The wedding was beautiful and I have had a wonderful time catching up with the family -- it is as if no time had passed at all.  Some of the family know I'm gay and some don't, but that wasn't a huge deal because I'm like family and it just didn't come up -- I wasn't going to do anything to cause a ripple for her day -- it was like a "don't ask, don't tell" veil.

Until the reception.  Then the dj kept calling couples and lovers out to the table.  Ledcat was supposed to come with me, but she stayed home to take care of our girl Mona.  I realized even if she were with me, we'd be sitting at the table anyway.  Song after song played, slow and fast alike, and I felt disconsolate listening to the words and missing the woman I love, knowing even if she were there I would have to keep quiet.  Then it was time to toss the bouquet.  At first, I demurred because I'm not single.  Everyone kept urging me on and while the brother who knew the truth gave me a sympathetic glance, I had to get up or risk being either a poor sport or ripping the "don't ask, don't tell" veil away.  I ended up catching a piece of the bouquet that fell apart as it was tossed.  That's symbolic, huh?

I consider myself pretty out in most circumstances, but I think we all have moments when we have to deny this pretty important part of our identities for what seems a good reason.  I thought my reason was noble -- to avoid darkening this important day for my good friend (who, of course, knows and invited Ledcat to the wedding) -- so why do I feel so cruddy?  Because I lied to people who love me and, even though I think they really know the truth, I took the coward's way out.

Someone recently asked me what it means to be openly gay.  I think the answer is about authenticity.  Bruce Kraus, for example, never hid his sexual orientation, but didn't necessarily make a point to accentuate it.  He is single and childless, so his website had no references to his sexual orientation vis a vis his family (no pictures with partner and child, etc).  That's authentic.  If voters asked, he answered honestly.  If it didn't come up, it wasn't really relevant, was it?  I'm sure many people just assumed he was straight, but it is not his responsibility to correct that assumption unless it has relevancy. 

I don't often hide my orientation, but I sometimes have to be discreet. There would be no need for me to tell the groom's great-uncle that I'm a dyke, even if Ledcat were with me.  But I kept this very important part of my life a secret from people that do matter to me because I'm afraid of their reaction.  That's not easy to admit.  I thought I was past this.  I'm almost glad Ledcat couldn't make it because I can't imagine how awful I would feel if I had to deny her amongst people that are like family.  To have to sit back and let all the rest of the lovers be recognized and venerated.

So what does it mean to be openly gay?  I suspect very few people beyond Rosie O'Donnell know because society is heteronormative -- if you look straight, people assume you are straight.  I only correct them when it is necessary (or when I feeling ornery and want to watch that look settle in their eyes).  And sometimes I don't correct them even when I should.  Because I'm still afraid.

I miss Ledcat tonight because, suppressed or not, I would still like to share these moments.  And because she loved me enough to stay home to take care of our cancer-stricken dog, I know that she would understand all this angst and love me anyway. 

And I'm looking forward to my own wedding.  Someday.