SA’S FIRST GAY WEDDING
It’s been reported that South Africa’s first legal same-sex wedding took place in George, in the Western Cape, on Friday – the day after the highly controversial Civil Union Act came into effect.
The law makes South Africa the first country in Africa and the fifth in the world to legalise same-sex marriage.
Vernon Gibbs and Tony Halls, who run a guest lodge and wildlife rescue centre, exchanged vows and wedding rings wearing their game-ranger outfits at the Home Affairs office. The wedding was attended by friends, the media and the curious. It was solemnised by Petro Kruger, a Home Affairs marriage officer.
The two men decided to take a double-barrel surname combining their original surnames: Halls-Gibbs for Tony and Gibbs-Halls for Vernon.
While those who wish to marry under the new law have been told by Home Affairs that they need to book their ceremony in advance like anyone else, the Halls-Gibbs – who have been together for nine years – were determined to marry as soon as possible. Luckily the Home Affairs office in George had no bookings for that day.
The men, who married on World Aids Day, made a point of noting the day: Vernon Halls-Gibbs told the SABC that, “This marriage… is for all HIV/Aids sufferers and gay people who have experienced discrimination.”
He further added that, “I just have one message I would like to give to everybody – that we are just two men who love each other and who have loved each other for a long time.”
According to Jacky Mashapu, head of communications for the Department of Home Affairs, George was also the site of the second same-sex wedding that afternoon.
Gay Weddings. I am gay myself, have been in a loving relationship with my husband for almost 8 years now,have build a life together,own numerous business and knows what we are about, i am very happy to be legally able to connect myself to one man who i love dearly.But in that sentance i also want to explain my concern about the new law, since friday i have heard young and old guys and women saying that they are getting married this December,on asking how long they have been together, a almost 90 percent answered me they know each other just a few weeks some two months or so, this cause for conserne that the gay community are playing a game here, with not just their own lives but the outlook of the rest of us in the community, as my parents learned me, trou is nie perde koop nie, please make sure of who you love and how you feel,we dont want to become a stitistic in SA for the highest divorce rate ever in SA.Rethink your motifs for marriage and if you feel you really can connect to one person for the rest of your life then go ahead and get married.Good luck to everyone for making the right decition about this new law and marriage.
Lovies
Lieffie
Gay Weddings. I like the comment that Lieffie made about gay people becoming the highest divorce statistics in South Africa. This could be very much true. Generally speaking, there is only about 10% maximum gay people who are and have been in stable and long lasting relationships. Even though this is purely based on my individual speculation, it remains true. The fact that now gays & lesbians are lawfully allowed to get married won’t make anyone to stay committed in a relationship.
Hence Lieffie’s argument that it always better to spend as much time as possible with your partner before you can decide to get married. Again though, not everybody needs to be in a relationship for 2-5 years to decide whether they want to get married to their partners or not. Sometimes it takes a shorter period then that. If you were meant to be together ertenally with your partner, then you will be.
A relationship for starters has never been childs play. Therefore one needs to be very sure about marriage before going into it.
Last but not least. To those who are already married, congratulations, you’ve done us proud. For those who will be doing it, please do it for the right reasons, for love, respect and commit to it. Let us not do it to show off, so that the media’s pockets get fat because of our mistakes.
Ciao
Bruno
Bruno and all!. Thx Bruno, well stated for sure, we all know that gay marriages are wonderful for us all, and please understood me correctly if I say, don’t get married to any man if you don’t know if that’s what you both want, we all need to asses our selves and our morals as well, before we commit our selves to a life long commitment. Are the man we get married to the one that I want to share my whole life with or not?
Do we both feel that we can go in front of God and state our love for ever, we cant promise not to get divorced though, but we can make sure we can live in harmony till we die.
We as a gay community struggles to commit to one man alone, some of us do and all will do, when they find that one man, true to be your soul mate, even if it means believing it on the first date that could happen, love at first side, ask me it happened to me and I am happy ever since, and so much in love for 7 years now still, have been apart I think 4 days in 7 years, so that is what I want for all that gets married.
If then get married, don’t just get married for the reason of being stupid or ignorant thinking it will make your day worth while, you will crash your self’s and your families if you do this for the mere fun of it.
Devote your self first and then get into this, o and buy the way, every man out there have you heard about pre-nuptial agreements, get one before you get married, or you will loose everything you own, if you will get a divorce at thee end. Hold your stuff in a safe contract between your self’s, and make sure your testaments are drawn up in the way you would like it to be, without this docs you may get a legal battle one day, should one of you die, still the family will be able to make a case against the boeddel, so keep your docs right and safe. Also think of getting a Trust set up for your self’s. Combined trust and then one for each other to secure your wealth should anything happen with you. This will allow stuff brought to the marriage one by one to be placed into a trust for your self, and combined stuff that is bought into the married together, to be in the combined trust, should your get to a divorce the only stuff that can be split is the combined trust setup, with a 50/50 break-up, the individual trusts will stay the owners, no one can make a claim on your own trust.
To all that got married, well done, good luck and we all are so happy for you guys, to the ones getting married, congrats lads, enjoy, and do it for one reason only, love and commitment.
Lovies
Lieffie
LGBTI weddings. I really thought the LGBTI community could’ve been more inventive, creative, original than the breeders…have we become so imprinted & institutionalised by those that prosecuted us, imprisoned us, still kill some of us that we can only imitate them? Finally we have become like them… LGBTI community R.I.P. We are no longer us, but them now.
afrokaner. i’ve got four words for you… ‘PLEASE GET OVER YOURSELF!’
fikkie. your response bore me, like the straights, oops what did i say about being just like them – a little originality when responding please!
afrokaner. …and run the risk of sounding like a sad, bitter old queen like you… i don’t think so!
Lighten up – forever everybody has been bitching about equel rights and being seen as the same as everybody else… and now that we have it you have nothing good to say. Enjoy it for what its worth – just because you cant or dont want to doesnt mean that other cant enjoy the freedom that this offers them.
Live a little… spend more time outside in the sun… relax and just be…
frikkie. …and run the risk of sounding like a sad, bitter old queen like you… i don’t think so!
If you have a problem with someone having a complaint with regard to the current status in our law…..dont refer to them as bitter old queens………because it is the result of a bitter old queen bitching that you enjoy the rights you have today……it is bitter old queens that stand out proud of whom they are………not these straight acting/dudes/butch gays that when in public – heterosexual but at night when its time for a feast of drugs in clubs are more gay than a queen…….and yet you want to challenge afrokaner on his agenda on his opinion (freedom of speech) but discriminate against queens……please return to your pittyfull double life style and leave the queens alone because some of us have more respect towards them for taking on the country with bitterness and bitching………..and the answer of what is happening to our gay community……..is people like you and im shocked to see that you people are those to be first and in front when it comes to the pride parade………!
Please become heterosexual, you really dont fit in and you are the definition of fake!
A proud 24 hour gay person and admire the queens in south africa!