The first gay civil union in Delaware
Drewry Fennell and Lisa Goodman, lawyers who have been together for 14 years, were the first same-sex couple to enter a civil union in Delaware when the state’s new civil unions law went into effect on January 1.
Their ceremony was attended by 400 people, “including U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del., who delivered a sermon) and Lt. Gov. Matt Denns (who read a scripture).”
AP reported that Goodman helped lead Equality Delaware’s fight for state’s new law while Fennell heads the state’s Criminal Justice Council. The New Castle County Clerk of the Peace, Ken Boulden Jr., had opened his office on a Sunday, New Year’s day, so that eight couples — including the Goodman-Fennells — could get their licenses on the first day they were legally available.
Civil unions also took effect in Hawaii on New Year’s Day. Such a happy start to the year. So excited to hear more stories like this.
Source: gaywrites
Delaware: New Group Eyes Civil Unions
Delaware Legislative Hall
Delaware’s newly formed gay rights group has hit the ground running, launching a public push to legalize civil unions for the state’s gay and lesbian couples.
Equality Delaware’s first meeting, attended by about 120 people, resulted in the unveiling Thursday of the campaign to get civil unions. State Rep. Melanie George and Sen. David Sokola have signed on to be the lead sponsors of the bill, which they said will likely be filed in mid-March, according to the News Journal (Wilmington, Del.).
According to the group, about 700 Delaware couples would enter a civil union within the first few years the law takes effect.
In addition to granting gay and lesbian couples the same rights as married couples have in the state, the civil union law would also rescind current policies that fine and imprison same-sex couples who fraudulently present themselves as married couples. It would also establish religious freedom protections for clergy, and ensure that same-sex marriages from other states be recognized in Delaware.
Equality Delaware president Lisa Goodman told the News Journal that there is enough support to legalize civil unions, but full-on marriage equality would probably be an unsuccessful battle.
