Couples line up to wed as Minnesota, Rhode Island same-sex marriage laws take effect

The new laws officially kicked in after midnight on Thursday, and couples began tying the knot almost immediately

Published August 1, 2013 1:54PM (EDT)

A Minneapolis couple weds on Thursday   (Matt Stopera)
A Minneapolis couple weds on Thursday (Matt Stopera)

Laws legalizing gay marriage in Minnesota and Rhode Island officially kicked in just after midnight on Thursday, with couples lining up to be among the first to tie the knot in each state.

In Minneapolis, Mayor R.T. Rybak married 42 couples into the wee hours of the morning, the streets outside City Hall slowly filling with newlyweds.

It was a historic evening, but not every couple relished the spotlight, as Fox News notes:

One of the couples scheduled to tie the knot was Jeff Isaacson and Al Giraud, who have been together for 11 years prior to taking the plunge.

"I keep thinking my 15 minutes of fame will be over soon, and I look forward to the day when people will no longer remember who the first gay couple is or who the first male gay couple is because it won't make a difference anymore,"

 


By Katie McDonough

Katie McDonough is Salon's politics writer, focusing on gender, sexuality and reproductive justice. Follow her on Twitter @kmcdonovgh or email her at kmcdonough@salon.com.

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Related Topics ------------------------------------------

Gay Marriage Gay Rights Lgbt Rights Marriage Equality Same-sex Marriage