Robin Roberts Weds! +

The Pope is softening. South Park writer cleverly defends. Remembering the Friends gay wedding episode 27 years ago. And of course, SCOTUS.

The JustMarried Newsletter brings you?new, beautiful and brave love stories while keeping you informed about the latest on Marriage Equality

something beautiful

It was definitely! beautiful to see Robin Roberts and Amber Laign headlining page 1 of the New York Times recently. Not too long ago, the worldly renowned newspaper refused to allow LGBTQ+ couples to even be in the wedding announcements section.??

The Good Morning America host, Ms. Roberts, told the NYTimes “I could not have imagined as a young girl growing up in Mississippi that I’d be sitting here with you in New York City, with my fiancée who is a woman, and freely, openly and passionately talking about it,” “For it to be received as is,” she said, “is a gift.”

It was a sweet story from a couple who have together faced multiple life threatening illnesses during their 20+ years together. They discuss their initial blind date, their relationship, why they decided ‘to commemorate their love with marriage’, and of course–the wedding. Yes, the dresses, the bouquet, the location and other tidbits like– the drinks decorated with custom, edible sugar disks that read, “Love wins.”

The article concludes with a really important message from Ms. Roberts. “The fact that people are so happy for us is a gift,” Ms. Roberts said. “And it’s not just a gift for us. It’s a gift for those who are in areas of this country who may have a parent or grandparent who doesn’t quite see it like this, but they see us, and they see that we just love each other. We’re very boring, but we just love each other.”?

In Other Beautiful? Funny? News of Allies

South Park writer, Toby Morton, has had enough of the notoriously anti-(LGBTQ+/Black) family, proudly pro-Hitler group, ironically named 'Moms For Liberty'. The not-so-delightful mommies behind 50% of book bans this year.?Morton is using his award winning satirical talent to disrupt their agenda of banning books by creating websites and buying billboards.

Craftily, Morton has also set up similar satirical sites for a few other anti-LGBTQ+ republicans like Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, failed Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (whom Morton has nicknamed “DeFascist”).

something blue

Or should we say red. Once again, billionaire-loving Clarence Thomas and the conservatives occupying SCOTUS are pressing onward putting religious liberty ahead of LGBTQ+ persons dignity and right to equal protection.

something old

Sometimes, when it seems like we are very much moving backwards in time, it pays to remember that 27 years ago, the cast of Friends created a lesbian wedding themed episode that was banned from airing on some U.S. network affiliates.

An article on Bustle details 'In a filmed 2016 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, co-creator Marta Kauffman said that NBC had anticipated a wave of backlash after the episode’s initial broadcast. “Everybody was up in arms,” Kauffman said. “NBC put 104 operators on for fear of getting a million phone calls. They got two.” Not only did it receive minimal viewer complaints, but it became a ratings success, attracting 31.6 million viewers.'

So, we've come a long way baby.

something new

The Pope is now asking that Catholics soften their views on marriage equality. It is speculated to be an effort to stop the mass exodus of Millenials and Gen Z's. As The National Catholic Reporter, well, reports, 'Church's anti-LGBTQ policies drive people away — and the policies are sinful, too'.

Sarah Kate Ellis, GLAAD President and CEO had a more positive take, “Pope Francis' response is both unprecedented and compassionate and continues to urge every Catholic and leader toward acceptance and recognition of LGBTQ people,"

So, there's that!

Until next time. Thanks for being a subscriber and keeping up with the latest on the state of Marriage Equality.

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If you’d like to learn more about our upcoming project: JustMarried: The Heroic Love Stories Of Marriage Equality- a Docuseries, Serialized Podcast and artful, archival Coffee-Table Book chronicling 7 decades of the brave couples that brought about this precious civil right- go to:

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Frankie, Lynn, Jason and Jim