In Brief

Staff Reports

First Hawaiian Same Sex Couples Exchange Vows In The New Year

HONOLULU, HAWAII -- For Donna Gedge and Monica Montgomery, the path to becoming a legally recognised lesbian couple took 33 years. One hour after midnight Hawaiian time in the New Year, their dream became a reality as they and another couple became the first same-sex couples to enter into civil unions in Hawaii under a new law that took effect with the New Year. The dual ceremonies were held in a private residence on the island of Oahu with around 90 people in attendance.

The gathering waited for the civil union applications to become available on the Internet after midnight. When they finally came on-line, it took each couple about ten minutes to complete the forms. Then, it took another five minutes for each of the three civil union officiants to apply for their licenses to perform the ceremony. And then there was a short delay because of an in-house computer glitch.

But the couples were ready when, one hour after midnight, the ceremony began, led by Rev. Kyle Lovett of the Church of the Crossroads, Rev. Jonipher Kwong of the First Unitarian Church of Honolulu, and Rev. Pam Vessels. The couples exchanged vows and rings.

Then, the three officiants said, in unison, "We now pronounce that you are legally joined as partners in life." The celebrants cheered as the couples kissed. ~ KGMB NBC9 News, Honolulu

"You can talk to some folks that are at this event tonight and they can tell you from '91 and from even before then, Hawaii really has been pivotal in the country, not even just in the state but in the country for supporting equality throughout the decades, so it's just really exciting to be a space in celebration finally again," said Tara O'Neill of Pride Alliance Hawaii. which was part of the Civil Unions in Hawaii 2012 Committee.

"A lot of organizing. Of course a lot of lobbying meeting with legislators. A lot of media. All leading up to this day," said Tambry Young of Citizens for Equal Rights, which also was a committee member.

"It represents the culmination of almost 20 years of an effort to achieve equality in Hawaii," said guest Valerie Smith, co-chair of Equality Hawaii. "It's one step close to full marriage equality."

The other same-sex couple who participated in the celebration of the rites, Gary Bradley and Paul Perry have been together for three and-a-half years. Speaking to KGMB reporter Ben Gutierrez, they told him that they took part to make a statement. "It's not just about us, but the other couples as well," said Bradley. "That's why we are doing it as a group and it's what we wanted to do, to let everyone know that we are making a step forward as a group." "Absolutely awesome," Bradley added. "This isn't just about us, but it is for the state of Hawaii and the people of Hawaii and its about equality, and its just one step closer to, which is what we all want, and that's full marriage equality."

Under Hawaii's new law, not only are the four same-sex couples legally recognized in the state, any same-sex couple legally married or in a civil union in any other state or country now also have those relationships legally recognised as well.

U. S. Champion Olympic Figure Skater Johnny Weir Marries

NEW YORK, NEW YORK -- Olympic Figure Skating Star Johnny Weir, 27, tied the knot with boyfriend Victor Voronov, a Russian lawyer, New Year's Eve Saturday and then tweeted the news to his nearly 103,000 Twitter followers.

In an interview with journalist Lynn Rutherford last Thursday Weir said, 

“I'm getting married on New Year's Eve. His name is Victor, he's kind of everything that I've ever looked for and aspired to be in a relationship with. We've known each other for a long time and we reconnected over the summer, and it's just been a whirlwind. I'm very happy with my personal life and also my professional life, and I thank God I can be exactly where I'm at." 

Weir added, “He's wonderful. He's totally not in my field at all. He didn't even know I was a figure skater when we first met or even when we reconnected. He is Russian. He worked in [New York City] for a long time, and then he went back to Atlanta to do work for his family, and in a couple of weeks he's moving back up to New York. He's a lawyer. He's in the legal field, completely separate from all of my razzle dazzle.”

Weir, who has been famous for remaining silent about his private life came out as a gay man only a year ago despite the neverending swirl of rumors about his sexuality over the course of his professional career as a figure skater. "I'm married!" he tweeted, later clarifying that the actual wedding will take place in the summer, though "all the official stuff is done now! No more livin' in sin!"

Voronov retweeted his husband's sentiments, adding that he was "ringing in the New Year with my new hubby @JohnnyGWeir! #ELATED."