Providence Mayor Angel Taveras on Thursday married Zachary Marcus
and Gary McDowell as a gay marriage law went into effect in Rhode
Island on Thursday.
Marcus and McDowell were the first in line to pick up their
marriage license at Providence City Hall at 8:30AM. The men,
together 2 years, met as students at Cambridge University.
They told the Providence
Journal that they received the special honor of being the
first gay couple to be married by the mayor simply because they
asked.
“It feels good. It feels like we've been waiting a long time,”
said Marcus.
Shortly after 2PM Taveras tweeted, “I now pronounce you spouses
for life,” along with a photo from the ceremony.
Rhode Island and Minnesota became the latest states to allow gay
couples to marry on Thursday. In Minnesota, jubilant couples married
in ceremonies throughout the state at the stroke of midnight.
(Related: First
couples marry as Minnesota gay marriage law takes effect.)
Passage in Rhode Island came two years after the state legalized
civil unions for gay couples. However, the civil unions law was
panned by activists who vowed to continue the fight for full
marriage.