As Trump and his administration wreak havoc on the rights and freedoms of Americans, three Unitarian churches in upstate New York came together just ahead of inauguration day to host a “Big Gay Wedding” event for LGBTQ+ couples hoping to get married quickly.
In Rochester, New York LGBTQ+ couples were invited to participate in the wedding ceremony by First Universalist Church of Rochester, First Unitarian Church of Rochester, and Unitarian Universalist Church of Canandaigua. Those in attendance enjoyed donated cakes and flowers from local vendors and even had their photos taken for free.
Minister of the First Universalist Church of Rochester, Rev. Lane-Mairead Campbell told news outlet that the event was “a way that we could provide some certainty for our community and be able to provide some space to be able to get married legally, safely, quickly, inexpensively.”
Unitarian Church of Rochester minister Shari Halliday-Quan said “We’re helping couples secure rights that they’re worried will be taken away. We all hope that that won’t be the case. But what I want folks to know, and what I think today really celebrates and uplifts, is that queer and trans people have a place in our community, that you are loved and worthy.”
Caliana and Angeles Rolon Torres, one of the lucky married couples, said the opportunity to marry meant the world to them. “The fact that we can do something like this, and there’s any organization doing something like this that enables people to get married, not only for free, but also before people are worried about it and things like that, is incredible.”
LGBTQ+ couples scrambled to marry and start families following Trump’s election win in November, anticipating they might not be able to exercise certain rights upon his return to office. Though same-sex marriage has been legal across the nation since the Supreme’s Courts landmark ruling with Obergefell v. Hodges in 2015, LGBTQ+ communities still fear a potential overturn of the ruling, especially following the overturn of Roe v. Wade in 2022, which made it legal for states to ban abortion, and limit reproductive rights. What’s more, Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito have signaled that they would be open to reversing the same-sex marriage ruling.
Luckily, there are plenty of protections for gay marriage including Biden’s Respect for Marriage Act, passed in 2022 to codify federal protections for interracial and same-sex marriages. Individual states have also enshrined these rights into state constitutions in recent years, building a strong defense against a potential overturn.
After just a few days in office, Trump has already signed executive orders to limit the rights of marginalized Americans, including a ban on transgender military personnel and the elimination of birthright citizenship.
