Celebration in Cambridge

As the birthplace of the slavery abolition movement and a key constituency contributing to equal rights for women during a time when, by law, they were subservient to men who were--again, by law--"head and master" of households with unilateral control of property owned jointly, the great Commonwealth of Massachusetts is yet again paving the way for the civil rights of another group of people: gay and lesbian people.

I can assure you, everything is the same as it always has been here--nothing has changed. The sun still rose above the horizon...people still grumbled as they got out of bed to go to work on a Monday morning...the phones still ring...the dishes are still waiting to be put in the dishwasher...the drivers are still notoriously rude...the subway trains are still running...the Red Sox are still scheduled to play in Tampa Bay tomorrow...and the residents of Massachusetts will still turn in this evening for a night's rest.

It was a totally normal yet historic day in the state I call home.

The following are scenes from this morning's early hours here in Cambridge, which was the first city in the United States to legally accept civil (NOT religious) marriage applications from same-sex couples:



Above: Cambridge City Hall lawn, Central Square - Sunday evening, May 16, 2004



Above: Cambridge City Council Chambers



Above: Some of the very first applicants for a civil marriage license in Cambridge City Hall