Celebrants of all genders gathered in Hemming Plaza last weekend for a mass wedding held in honor of same sex couples.
With the recent announcement that gay marriages are legal in the state, over 60 members of the gay, lesbian and transgender community united in matrimony in front of City Hall.
For many celebrants, the event represents forward movement for the city of Jacksonville and for Florida. While there is still work to do to bring the LGBT community in from the margins of society, marriage equality is a huge step.
Same sex wedding supporter Richmond Wynn stated, “It is not “gay marriage” or “same sex marriage”, it is marriage! It is treating all people equally and allowing access to societal customs and practices that have been unfairly denied an entire segment of our society based on one aspect of who we gays are.”
Richmond Wynn and Diego Pagan were two of the couples married. The two have been together for 13 years and were married on March 30, 2014 in Hawaii and did not have the opportunity to have a ceremony in Jacksonville.
“Discrimination of any kind is not good for individuals, for couples, or for our society. Not only is it harmful emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually for those being targeted, but it is also harmful for the people who endorse and promote it. They carry the negativity with them and they become barriers to other people being the best they can be, which has a negative impact on our families, our community, and our economy.” Said Wynn.
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