What a contrast to be both jumping up and down and applauding, and simultaneously wiping away tears (of joy) as Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo signed the New York Marriage Equality Act into law at 11:55pm on June 24, 2011. In 2008, I waited up all night after it was announced that Obama had won the presidency to see if Prop 8 would be passed in California ending the rights of gay and lesbians to marry. After that decision, I cried in sorrow for two weeks. Then I decided I had to stop crying and do something. This was the impetus for creating We Vow, a Victorian photographic story that tells the story of an interrupted secret wedding in the woods.
Ara Lucia photo by Michael Ashburne
To celebrate the decision in New York, at this pivotal moment, I am presenting a Limited Special Edition Love Wins! This two-print series features two images, "The Kiss" from We Vow (2009) and "We Meet Again" from Tala & Louison: The Woods Opened and Through (Little Red Riding Hood Redux) (2008). These limited edition prints give an exuberant shout-out to the excitement and momentum that New York’s recent step forward has created.
This is such an exciting moment, and it is being thought of as an opportunity to use the New York momentum to gain marriage equality in additional states. According to Nicholas Confessore of the New York Times, “After a string of defeats in recent years from California to Maine, the movement to legalize same-sex marriage is hoping its unexpected victory in New York will revive efforts to legalize gay weddings around the nation.”
To paraphrase the rallying cry: "If you can do it there, we can do it anywhere!"
New York is expecting to see a rush of marriages. New York state is the 6th jurisdiction in the United States to have same-sex marriage following Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Iowa, Vermont, and Washington, D.C. Moments after the vote, Rachel Maddow of MSNBC
explained that with New York being the third-largest state in the Union, the passing of the law there will effectively double the number of people for whom same-sex marriage is available to in this country. Additionally, she clarified that although New York was a state that already acknowledged
same-sex couples from other states, the New York bill has no residency requirement, so same-sex couples from anywhere in the country can come to New York to be married.
With my LOVE WINS! Special Limited Edition series you can join in the celebration or share the joy with your favorite couple. Each of the Limited Edition prints are being offered at dramatically reduced prices starting at $45 for the Open Edition and Limited Edition prints priced at $80 and $150 with FREE SHIPPING from FedEx. However, note that this is a Limited Edition, so you need to act quickly.
Check out the images and find out more about my work at aralucia.org and follow me on Twitter at @ara_lucia.