Congratulations Due to Marriage Pioneer

[Lucky]

The one gay man who did the most to lead the fight for gay marriage, the guy who saw it as possible when few others did, is now married himself. Evan Wolfson and his husband Dr. Cheng He receive the primary story in today's NY Times section on Vows. Their wedding on October 15th is described in detail along with some color photographs on page 15 of the Style Section, or can be seen here: A Glorious Day

I have had the pleasure of meeting the couple in New York before marriage was possible, and I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Wolfson long ago when I was writing and wanted to an interview with him as he was the first openly gay assistant district attorney in the Brooklyn D.A.'s office. We have maintained contact off and on since. I'll admit to thinking he might have set his sights too high with his plan to get each state to allow gay marriage, but obviously he had the better eye for the future than I did.

So Mazel Tov and jūk néih hóuwahn to the happy couple.

For every gay guy who gets married, Evan Wolfson is the guy who saw your wedding happening before you did!

[lookin]

A very nice story! Thanks for posting.

Some of my favorite bits were at the end:

At their Oct. 15 wedding, the two men wore matching black suits and Hawaiian leis as they exchanged vows under a bamboo wedding canopy that stood beneath one of the Queensboro Bridge's great stone arches that are a unique feature of Guastavino's décor.

The couple also wore ties emblazoned with a Chinese symbol meaning "double happiness." (Mr. Wolfson had them customized in Chinatown at a shop on Elizabeth Street called — what else? — Elizabeth Tailor.)

Their officiant, Justice Rosalyn H. Richter, who sits on the Appellate Division of the State Supreme Court in Manhattan, proclaimed before a crowd of around 50 close friends and family members that here, at last, was "the ceremony you wanted, in the city you call home." After reciting their vows, Mr. Wolfson and Dr. He put their wedding rings on their left hands.

At the celebratory dinner that followed, Rendong He of Victoria, British Columbia, Dr. He's 72-year-old father, said that his son's marriage "is not traditional in China, but the world is changing."

"I love my son, and Evan is good, his family is good, and my son is good. I support my son."

Mr. Wolfson's father, Jerry Wolfson, 81, sweetly chimed in, claiming that somehow he just knew that the precocious boy who became a lawyer could even, he said, "go to China and back" for a principle he believed in.

"Little did I know he would bring us such a treasure."

Elizabeth Tailor and a bamboo chuppah are above and beyond. Thanks again for the story!

[Lucky]

Lookin, I had hoped that folks would read the article, but if not, then how nice to add the details from the article. I wonder if your post had them right and then when it went up the glitches appeared. I'll see what happens here:

At their Oct. 15 wedding, the two men wore matching black suits and Hawaiian leis as they exchanged vows under a bamboo wedding canopy that stood beneath one of the Queensboro Bridge’s great stone arches that are a unique feature of Guastavino’s décor.

The couple also wore ties emblazoned with a Chinese symbol meaning “double happiness.” (Mr. Wolfson had them customized in Chinatown at a shop on Elizabeth Street called — what else? — Elizabeth Tailor.)

Their officiant, Justice Rosalyn H. Richter, who sits on the Appellate Division of the State Supreme Court in Manhattan, proclaimed before a crowd of around 50 close friends and family members that here, at last, was “the ceremony you wanted, in the city you call home.” After reciting their vows, Mr. Wolfson and Dr. He put their wedding rings on their left hands.

At the celebratory dinner that followed, Rendong He of Victoria, British Columbia, Dr. He’s 72-year-old father, said that his son’s marriage “is not traditional in China, but the world is changing.”

“I love my son, and Evan is good, his family is good, and my son is good. I support my son.”

Mr. Wolfson’s father, Jerry Wolfson, 81, sweetly chimed in, claiming that somehow he just knew that the precocious boy who became a lawyer could even, he said, “go to China and back” for a principle he believed in.

“Little did I know he would bring us such a treasure.”

[Guest CharliePS]

This is not the first time the NYT has chosen a gay male couple's wedding to use as their feature. I saw another one back in August, about a couple in a nursing home in NYC. I guess it's finally become "news that fit to print."

[Lucky]

Lookin, I am glad that you fixed those glitches. TY can delete my follow-up post then. Don't worry, it won't subtract one post from my count.

Charlie, yes, indeed, they have, probably more than one. That is not the reason I posted this. If you read it carefully, you will see why. Evan started the Freedom to Marry Project with a grant from the Levi's company many years ago. After the Brooklyn job, he worked for Lamdba Legal for many years.

[Guest CharliePS]

Lookin, I am glad that you fixed those glitches. TY can delete my follow-up post then. Don't worry, it won't subtract one post from my count.

Charlie, yes, indeed, they have, probably more than one. That is not the reason I posted this. If you read it carefully, you will see why. Evan started the Freedom to Marry Project with a grant from the Levi's company many years ago. After the Brooklyn job, he worked for Lamdba Legal for many years.

I did read it carefully, because I, too, have followed Evan Wolfson's career for many years, since I have been a financial supporter of Lambda Legal practically since its inception. My comment was intended to point out that the NYT, which was so often behind the curve on gay issues, has finally decided that gay marriages don't even have to include notable people like Wolfson to be worthy of commentary.

[Lucky]

I did read it carefully, because I, too, have followed Evan Wolfson's career for many years..

So then are we both saying: