Gay News from London

Vermont gay and lesbian couples celebrate fifth anniversaries

Vermont gay and lesbian couples celebrate fifth anniversaries Lois Farnham and Holly Puterbaugh, among the first same-sex couples in the nation to be legally joined as spouses when Vermont's civil union law went into effect, are happy to be celebrated their fifth anniversary this weekend. "I think people have accepted civil unions, without any question," Farnham said. In the last five years 7,549 couples have joined in civil unions, although only 1,137 are Vermont residents. There have only been a total of 78 dissolutions in that time. Roughly two-thirds have been women. Marriage, she argued, would be even more meaningful. And while some clearly want marriage on their plate, the very first couple joined, Carolyn Conrad and Kathleen "KP" Peterson are happy. "It doesn't make any sense to me to quibble over a word when I know that for me the civil union has been spectacular," Peterson said.�
[Date: 06-Jul-05 ]