Here Come The Brides... Or Not

International News, By Joal, 6th June, 2008

Californian gays can now set a date for their weddings, which is what Queen Latifah is apparently doing, although Rosie O’Donnell doesn’t want to rush in again just yet.

But it’s not because O’Donnell isn’t madly in love with her partner of over ten years, Kelli Carpenter. Married on the steps of San Francisco City Hall in 2004, the couple’s first marriage was later made invalid by the California Supreme Court.

The 46 year old comedian said the couple were “going to wait until it’s legal everywhere” because otherwise they’ll be doing a marriage tour, stopping in at every state in the US. “Once it gets to be at the federal level, once every state recognises the marriages of every other state, I think that’ll be the time we would do it,” says O’Donnell.

But it seems others are happy to take advantage of the new laws as soon as they can. Late last month Ellen DeGeneres publicly admitted plans to marry Australian partner, Portia DeRossi. And Queen Latifah has said she’ll be joining them.

Engaged to her personal trainer Jeanette Jenkins, Latifah and Jenkins have had a discreet relationship for over five years. Falling for each other at the gym, the couple are reportedly making wedding plans in the wake of the new Californian marriage laws.

Legally, same-sex marriages can start taking place on June 17. California is only the second US state to legalise gay marriage, with Massachusetts being the first in 2004.

What’s special about the new state-based law though is that California has no residency requirement. Massachusetts offers marriage licenses only to its residents, California has now extended the possibility of gay marriage to the entire country.

Even though there is speculation the ruling might be overturned, hundreds of couples have been said to have made appointments to marry on the 17th of this month.

With 48 states yet to legalise same-sex marriage (and 25 of those states with constitutional amendments that bar gay marriage), does O’Donnell think she’ll be waiting long to walk down the aisle again?

Definitely not. “The same way it was illegal for black and white people to marry at one point and people couldn’t conceive of that ever being different, I do think that two consenting, law-abiding adults who want to share their life together should be allowed to do that” said O’Donnell.

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