The Lesbian & Gay Big Apple Corps marched in Montclair's Independence Day parade. But if you want to see gay people dancing in the streets today, you have to go to Maplewood. That's the epicenter of celebration for New Jersey's new domestic partnership law. Officials there are opening their clerk's office this morning to register gay couples -- including those from other towns in New Jersey -- under the law which goes into effect today. A 10 am ceremony and a parade there are expected to attract hundreds. In neighboring South Orange, doors were to open at 12:01 am to register gay couples.

Famously diverse Montclair? Wait until Monday.

And some ambivalence from Scott Seale, co-chair of the Rainbow UUnion in Montclair, who points out that the new law doesn't provide many of the rights of marriage. And then there's the awkward syntax. "My daughter regularly refers to her mom's new husband as her step dad," he told us. "This cannot yet exist in my relationship with Frank. Maybe when we're partnered she can refer to him as her step domestic partner dad?"

Photo and reporting by Raymond Helfrich

July 10, 2004 in Controversy, From the Crazy Mixed-Up Files of Raymmmondo | Permalink