Vermont Nixes Veto, Legalizes Gay Marriage

Becomes 4th State To OK Same-Sex Marriage After Legislature Overrides Governor's Veto

(AP)  Vermont on Tuesday became the fourth state to legalize gay marriage — and the first to do so with a legislature's vote.

The House recorded a dramatic 100-49 vote — the minimum needed — to override Gov. Jim Douglas' veto. Its vote followed a much easier override vote in the Senate, which rebuffed the Republican governor with a vote of 23-5.

Vermont was the first state to legalize civil unions for same-sex couples and joins Connecticut, Massachusetts and Iowa in giving gays the right to marry. Their approval of gay marriage came from the courts.

Tuesday morning's legislative action came less than a day after Douglas issued a veto message saying the bill would not improve the lot of gay and lesbian couples because it still would not provide them rights under federal and other states' laws.

House Speaker Shap Smith's announcement of the vote brought an outburst of jubilation from some of the hundreds packed into the gallery and the lobby outside the House chamber, despite the speaker's admonishment against such displays.

Among the celebrants in the lobby were former Rep. Robert Dostis, D-Waterbury, and his longtime partner, Chuck Kletecka. Dostis recalled efforts to expand gay rights dating to an anti-discrimination law passed in 1992.

"It's been a very long battle. It's been almost 20 years to get to this point," Dostis said. "I think finally, most people in Vermont understand that we're a couple like any other couple. We're as good and as bad as any other group of people. And now I think we have a chance to prove ourselves here on forward that we're good members of our community."

Dostis said he and Kletecka will celebrate their 25th year together in September.

"Is that a proposal?" Kletecka asked.

"Yeah," Dostis replied. "Twenty-five years together, I think it's time we finally got married."

Craig Bensen, a gay marriage opponent who had lobbied unsuccessfully for a nonbinding referendum on the question, said he was disappointed but believed gay marriage opponents were outspent by supporters by a 20-1 margin.

"The other side had a highly funded, extremely well-oiled machine with all the political leadership except the governor pushing to make this happen," he said. "The fact that it came down to this tight a vote is really astounding."

Also in the crowd was Michael Feiner, a farmer from Roxbury and gay marriage supporter, who took a break from collecting sap for maple syrup-making to come to the Statehouse.

"I'm taking a break to come and basically make sure that I was here to witness history," he said.

The House had initially passed the bill last week with a 95-52 vote.

[honestabe8]

somewhere i had read that the first couple to be shown in bed on a prime time tv show were fred and wilma flintstone

[endurorob]

i was going through the TV series DVD aisle at Best Buy, and was a bit amused to see those for "The L Word" (Showtime series about lesbians) being right next to "Leave It To Beaver"
Posted by honestabe8 at 7:06 AM : Apr 8, 2009

Ypu do know what the dirtiest thing ever said on t.v. was (before cable and premium channels) don't you. June Cleaver says "Ward, you were a little hard on the beaver last night?"

[honestabe8]

i was going through the TV series DVD aisle at Best Buy, and was a bit amused to see those for "The L Word" (Showtime series about lesbians) being right next to "Leave It To Beaver"

[honestabe8]

i find committed sex (no matter what the gender) to be less deviant than "wham-bam-thank you ma'am (or thank you dan)" sex. that is one of the reasons that i am celibate between relationships. i don't go out chasing sex. in that sense, i guess i am a deviant in this "get as much as you can" sexual culture.

[endurorob]

endurobob: also, thanks for keeping the discussion civil. that is sometimes a rare thing on these boards.
Posted by honestabe8 at 7:00 AM : Apr 8, 2009

I do my best.

[honestabe8]

endurobob: also, thanks for keeping the discussion civil. that is sometimes a rare thing on these boards.

[honestabe8]

endurobob: with the lesbian sex, there is always a "boom chicka boom boom" soundtrack in my mind

[endurorob]

endurobob: i guess then i disagree with you. as a straight man, the idea of two men doing it sort of sickens me. on the other hand, two women (in my mind hot cheerleader types) is sort of invigorating
Posted by honestabe8 at 6:51 AM : Apr 8, 2009


I forgot to mention that is one of my personal conflicts. Although i consider lesbian sex to be deviant and not equal to hetero sex I also find it to be erotic.

[endurorob]

endurobob: i guess then i disagree with you. as a straight man, the idea of two men doing it sort of sickens me. on the other hand, two women (in my mind hot cheerleader types) is sort of invigorating
Posted by honestabe8 at 6:51 AM : Apr 8, 2009

Which is one of the problems with this issue. Many people find male male sex to be abhorent, disgusting, completely offensive but lesbian sex is widely consodered erotic. Why this is I don't know. Maybe just the way wea re wired. I have known many women that view male male sex as disgusting but have no problem with lesbian sex.

[honestabe8]

endurobob: i guess then i disagree with you. as a straight man, the idea of two men doing it sort of sickens me. on the other hand, two women (in my mind hot cheerleader types) is sort of invigorating