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Local gays optimistic about California marriages PDF Print E-mail
Written by Bradenton Herald   
Monday, 16 June 2008 19:00
MANATEE --- Gay and lesbian communities in Manatee and Sarasota counties were cautiously optimistic Monday as California began allowing legal same-sex marriages.

Residents at the Palms of Manasota, a gay and lesbian retirement community, said California's legalization of gay marriage is a small victory for the United States."It's about time," said Ed Kobee, 73. "It's slowly coming around. In the national picture, what's happening in California is very, very positive in the gay community."

However, Kobee and his partner Al Usack, 78, said they realize legalizing gay marriage in Florida may be a struggle.

Both are concerned California's legalization of same-sex marriage might garner further support for the proposed Marriage Protection Act on the November ballot.

The amendment seeks to define marriage in Florida's constitution as the union of a man and a woman.

"What I'm afraid will happen is it will give ammunition to folks here," Kobee said. "I'm afraid it will have some adverse reaction to our cause here, and people who want to get gay marriage banned in the constitution will point to California."

Usack and Kobee have been together for 21 years since they met at a church assembly in Little Rock, Ark., and in 1995 were married in a civil union ceremony in Maryland.

Usack said he wishes the United States would show the same support for legally recognized same-sex marriages as it has drawn globally.

Same-sex marriages are legal or recognized in Belgium, Canada, the Netherlands, South Africa and most recently Norway.

"It's unbelievable how far back we are in this country," Usack said.

Palms of Manasota resident Jean Brossart, 73, said she, too, believes the United States and particularly Florida have a lot to overcome before legalizing gay marriage.

"I think Florida has got a long way to go," Brossart said. "Everybody ought to have the same rights under the law to marry or not to marry. I hope it's going to have a good influence here in Florida."

Reading about same-sex couples legally exchanging marriage vows in California gives her hope same-sex marriage might eventually be legalized throughout the United States.

"I think one state at a time is going to do this and then eventually it will be federally recognized," Brossart said. "It's certainly been a long, hard battle."

For the past 35 years, Sarasota resident Hank Hueber has been in a committed relationship with his partner and considers himself married, whether the state recognizes it or not.

"We do all the same things that married people do," Hueber said. "We actually have two adopted sons. Although they are not legally adopted, we brought them into our lives almost 22 years ago. It is the only family we've been able to have, but we are blessed to have that. We provided them a family when they didn't have one."

One day, Hueber hopes Florida will follow California's lead and recognize same-sex marriages.

"We would like equal protection," he said. "When one of us dies, we would like the state to provide the same benefits to the surviving partner that they would with any straight-married couple. Right now, we have to go to great lengths legally to make sure that happens."